Agenda item

Context:

The committee had the opportunity to scrutinise the Passenger Transport Unit (PTU) and the monitor the budget of the service.

Key Issues:

The committee received a presentation from the Passenger Transport Unit Manager detailing the services that the section provide and pressures that they face.

Member Scrutiny:

Members question the number of vehicles operated by other departments within the Council, specifically the social services department. Members were informed that there still are some vehicles run by other departments but this has been reduced from 29 to approximately 10.

The committee recommended a full inventory be undertaken of the PTU section, as well as other transport provided by sections of the Council independently, and to consider whether the PTU should be its own section separate to the authority allowing it to charge for the services it provides. The PTU manager informed the committee that new models of delivery are being considered and is visiting a social enterprise that provides public transport to assess how it operates. The committee request the PTU manager attends a meeting in early 2016 providing details of the options available. Members also queried the scale of operation that is required to make the section a viable unit given that much of the routes in Monmouthshire are subsidised with little commercially viable routes.

Members debated whether the PTU section would be better situated under the Children and Young People committee given that SEN transport is a particular pressure on the unit of which the department has very little control. It was identified that savings would not be made by moving to a different committee and members agreed to work closely with the Children and Young People committee to raise awareness of the issues.

Members identified the £5 lifetime subscription fee to residents who use grass routes transport and whether this should be raised to increase income of the PTU section.