YOU have allowed me space in these columns before to point out that West Devon Borough Council are unfair to Bere peninsula residents by making them take a two-bus journey to Plymouth that is four to five times longer than the train journey, if they want concessionary travel.

They also removed Bere Ferrers completely from the bus concession fares by changing the start time until after the only morning bus had gone.

Unfair? Yes, but now it is set to cost all council taxpayers £100,000pa. This is the excess government grant that West Devon Borough Council get for mandatory concession fares but spend on services other than discretionary concessions.

The Government is consulting on moving the concession fares function and funding to county level. That consultation recognises that sensitive local input on discretionary concessions can be of value, but West Devon Borough Council show no sign of such sensitivity.

Government also asks whether it would be better to move the function to county as they run other transport functions, such as subsidising some bus routes. Devon subsides the 0915 bus from Bere Ferrers, but West Devon Borough Council then deny its concessionary use to residents of Bere Ferrers.

Joined up government? No, and it will encourage Government to amalgamate the functions at county level and cost us council taxpayers £100,000pa. But it is not too late. Changes to the concession scheme to make it fairer can be made quickly and the West Devon Borough Council response to the consultation could say that it was demonstrating local sensitivity and joined up approaches with Devon County Council subsidised bus routes by planning these changes.

Come on West Devon, its 'win-win', be fair and save us money.

Ray Bentley

Bere Alston