IN last week's paper you allowed me to explain how possible government changes to the administration of concession fares could deprive us council taxpayers of £100,000pa excess grant. This could take effect from 2011 if the funding is moved to Devon County Council.
Now another possible change by government could deprive us of that money from 2010. West Devon Borough Council had cried wolf about underfunding for concession fares, whilst being overfunded, but some councils are genuinely underfunded. In Devon these include Exeter and Torbay.
Government is now considering removing some grant from councils such as West Devon Borough Council to help out underfunded areas. The Local Government Association say grant for 2010/11 'could be redistributed on the basis of actual costs'.
The 'actual costs' between the mandatory scheme (buses after 0930) and discretionary concessions (such as on the Tamar Valley Line) are hard to unravel and councils offering discretionary concessions will have higher costs and help protect their grant. If West Devon Borough Council don't act soon they and the people of the Bere peninsula will miss the train, as we all wave it and £100,000 goodbye.
Is the money better spent on allowing the 0915 bus from Bere Ferrers and the trains to be used by West Devon concession pass holders or do West Devon Borough Council prefer to transfer it to Exeter and Torbay?
Ray Bentley
Bere Alston