Decision details

1          That the changes and additional responsibilities placed upon Adult Social Care and Health in administering the Reformed Blue Badge Scheme be noted.

2          The cost of administering this scheme as identified in the associated report be noted and that the funding for a full time Blue Badge Co-ordinator to undertake assessments to meet the newly acquired responsibilities be agreed.

3          That the charge of a Blue Badge be raised in line with guidance from Department of Transport from £2.00 for three years to £10.00.

The government has announced a significant reform of the Blue Badge Scheme aimed at ensuring a fair allocation of badges against a backdrop of rising demand so that the scheme remains sustainable in the long term. 

The new reforms which are to be implemented from 1st January 2012 include extra responsibilities allocated to the Council as follows:-

• Transfer of current NHS spend on badge eligibility assessments to local authorities.

• Delivering efficiency savings and improving customer services by establishing a common improvement project (Blue Badge Improvement Service) that will deliver operational efficiency savings. This project is expected to be self-funding and should deliver efficiency savings nationally of between £6.5 and £20 million per year.

• Enforcement procedures which are in accordance with governing legislation.

• In improving customer services, an online application facility will be developed in partnership with Customer Services during 2012. It should result in faster, more automatic renewals for people whose circumstances do not change between renewal periods.

• Improved and effective prevention of abuse by introducing a new badge design that is harder to copy, forge or alter.  Implement (via the common service improvement project) new arrangements for printing and distribution to prevent fraud and effectively monitor cancelled, lost and stolen badges.

To help local authorities cover costs more and to enable the delivery of the new badge design and the common improvement project, the maximum fee for a badge that the local authorities can charge will rise from £2 to £10.

In June 2011, funding for GP assessment was transferred from Health to the Local Authority, therefore, the cost of individuals needing further assessment to determine eligibility falls to the Local Authority.

There are no alternative options.  The Local Authority must adhere to legislation relating to administering the Blue Badge Scheme.

None.