Concessionary travel passes

Dear Mr Eriksohn

Concessionary Travel passes
Request pursuant to Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Request No. 709

I am writing in respect of your recent enquiry for information held by the Council under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Under the Freedom of Information Act the authority must state whether or not the information exists and I confirm that we do not hold this information as currently Social Services for this area are dealt with by Bedfordshire County Council, County Hall, Cauldwell St, Bedford MK42 9AP tel: 01234 363222. Freedom of Information enquiries should be directed to [email address]

If for whatever reason you are unhappy with our response to your application you are entitled to pursue any dissatisfaction through the Council's Internal Review Procedure. Pursuant to Section 17 (7) of the Act the procedure provided by the Council for dealing with complaints about the determination of this request for information is the Council's Corporate Complaints Procedure, a copy of which can be obtained on request or is set out at: www.bedford.gov.uk

Your attention is drawn to the provisions of section 50 of the Act set out below regarding applications for decision by the Commissioner:

"50. - (1) Any person (in this section referred to as "the complainant") may apply to the Commissioner for a decision whether, in any specified respect, a request for information made by the complainant to a public authority has been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of Part I.

(2) On receiving an application under this section, the Commissioner shall make a decision unless it appears to him-

(a) that the complainant has not exhausted any complaints procedure which is provided by the public authority in conformity with the code of practice under section 45,

(b) that there has been undue delay in making the application,

(c) that the application is frivolous or vexatious, or

(d) that the application has been withdrawn or abandoned.

(3) Where the Commissioner has received an application under this section, he shall either-

(a) notify the complainant that he has not made any decision under this section as a result of the application and of his grounds for not doing so, or

(b) serve notice of his decision (in this Act referred to as a "decision notice") on the complainant and the public authority.

(4) Where the Commissioner decides that a public authority-

(a) has failed to communicate information, or to provide confirmation or denial, in a case where it is required to do so by section 1(1), or

(b) has failed to comply with any of the requirements of sections 11 and 17, the decision notice must specify the steps which must be taken by the authority for complying with that requirement and the period within which they must be taken.

(5) A decision notice must contain particulars of the right of appeal conferred by section 57.

(6) Where a decision notice requires steps to be taken by the public authority within a specified period, the time specified in the notice must not expire before the end of the period within which an appeal can be brought against the notice and, if such an appeal is brought, no step which is affected by the appeal need be taken pending the determination or withdrawal of the appeal.

(7) This section has effect subject to section 53."

Yours sincerely

Ann Jones
Corporate Information Officer
C   Tel (01234) 221819 ex 2819. 
         Fax 01234 221606 
  ajones@bedford.gov.uk
Room A200 Registration & Administration, Bedford Borough Council,Town Hall, St Paul's Square, Bedford, MK40 1SJ
 

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Thank you very much Mr Eriksohn for your recent email. I would like to take this opportunity to explain why we responded to your original enquiry that we do not hold the information.

I can confirm that although Bedford Borough Council is indeed the authority which handles the administration of concessionary travel for this area. We are a district council and currently it is the County Council who have the responsibility for Social Services. Our Concessionary Travel Permit for Disabled People application form does not specifically ask whether the person concerned has a disability on the grounds of being a mental health user or survivor. The Disability Eligibility Certificate, to be signed and verified by a doctor, other than physical disabilities only poses the questions whether the person has a learning disability which started before childhood, or whether they have had a driving licence application refused (the exact reason for this is not requested to be disclosed but may include uncontrolled epilepsy for example). I have attached a copy of our application form and guidance notes by way of clarification, please see categories f) and g) of the Disability Eligibility Certificate on page 5 and guidance notes on page 7.

I can also confirm that there is no current or previous data matching between any County Council's Social Services records about mental health user and survivors and the Borough Council's records about concessionary travel permits issued. However, from 1st April 2009 Bedford Borough Council will become a Unitary Authority for this area by absorbing the services and functions currently administered by Bedfordshire County Council and thereafter possibly the information held at Social Services will be accessible to our Community Welfare staff. Our Community Welfare Officer informs me that the Disability Eligibility criteria will certainly be under review in the near future.

I hope that this clarifies our response but please do not hesitate to contact me should you need any further information or if you still wish the request to be referred as an internal review.

Regards

Ann Jones
Corporate Information Officer
C Tel (01234) 221819 ex 2819.
Fax 01234 221606
[email address]
Room A200 Registration & Administration, Bedford Borough Council, Town Hall, St Paul's Square, Bedford, MK40 1SJ

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