Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to make a request as regards to the concessionary
travel arrangements in your authority under the terms of Freedom of
Information Act.

1. Does your authority provide concessionary travel passes to those
individuals registered with their local Social Services department
as disabled on the grounds of being a mental health user or
survivor?

2. If your authority does have such arrangements why was the
decision taken to extend the scheme in this way and what
arrangements are in place?

3. If your authority does not have such arrangements does your
authority have some other arrangement beyond the statuary minimum
to provide passes to those with mental health issues?

4. If your authority does not have such arrangements why was the
decision taken not to extend the scheme in this way and has
consideration been given to extending the scheme in this way in the
future?

5. Would it be possible to provide copies of any relevant policy
documents you may have.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Yours faithfully,

Robert Eriksohn

Dear Sir/Madam,

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Thank You.

Dover District Council.
Whitecliffs Business Park,
Whitfield, Dover, Kent.
CT16 3PJ
Tel: 01304 821199

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Dear Mr Eriksohn

Thank you for your request for information about concessionary travel.
Your request was received on 30 January 2009 and I am dealing with it
under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I
will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be
required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

If you have any queries about this email, please contact me.

Yours sincerely

Mandy Weir
Performance Officer
Dover District Council
Council Offices, White Cliffs Business Park, Whitfield, Dover CT16 3PJ

Tel: 01304 872318
Fax: 01304 872300
Email: [email address]
Web: www.dover.gov.uk

P Please consider the Environment before printing this email

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Dear Mr Eriksohn

I am writing in respect of your enquiry for information held by this
Authority received on 30 January 2009 and to confirm that we have
completed the search for the information that you requested.

1. Does your authority provide concessionary travel passes to those
individuals registered with their local Social Services department
as disabled on the grounds of being a mental health user or
survivor?

The DfT guidance states: Under Section 92 of the Road Traffic Act
1988 the Secretary of State may refuse to issue a driving licence on the
grounds of
the applicant's medical fitness. People with severe mental disorder
are currently barred from holding a licence.

As evidence that someone is eligible under this category we accept:

A letter from DVLA stating that the customer has been refused or
has had to return their driving licence.
A letter from the customers GP
A letter from an NHS support unit e.g. Coleman House in Dover.

2. If your authority does have such arrangements why was the
decision taken to extend the scheme in this way and what arrangements
are in place?

The scheme has not been extended and adheres to the DfT guidelines.

3. If your authority does not have such arrangements does your
authority have some other arrangement beyond the statuary minimum to
provide passes to
those with mental health issues?

As above

4. If your authority does not have such arrangements why was the
decision taken not to extend the scheme in this way and has
consideration been given
to extending the scheme in this way in the future?

As above. The scheme adheres to the statutory minimum with no plans
to extend it

5. Would it be possible to provide copies of any relevant policy
documents you may have.

The DfT guidance for disability is available on the internet using
the following link

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/buses...
uthorities/guidancedisabled/ancetolocalauthoritieson3561.pdf

Please the following link to the Dover District Council website
showing the minutes of the Scrutiny meeting held on 12 February 2008
recommending
that the statutory minimum scheme be adopted.
http://www.dover.gov.uk/councillors/coun...
scrutcommreg120208.pdf

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. You are free to use it for your
own purposes, including any non-commercial research you are doing and
for the purposes of news reporting. Any other reuse, for example
commercial publication, would require the permission of the copyright
holder. Most documents supplied by Dover District Council will have
been produced by government officials and will be Crown Copyright. You
can find details on the arrangements for re-using Crown Copyright on
HMSOnline at:
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/copyright/licence...

Information you receive which is not subject to Crown Copyright
continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or
organisation, from which the information originated. You must ensure
that you gain their permission before reproducing any third party (non
Crown Copyright) information.

If you have any queries about this email, please contact me.

I hope you find the information enclosed useful but if, for whatever
reason, you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation
to your request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our
decision, you are entitled to pursue any dissatisfaction through the
Council's Complaints Procedure.

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints
procedure provided by the Council. The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely

Mandy Weir
Performance Officer
Dover District Council
Council Offices, White Cliffs Business Park, Whitfield, Dover CT16 3PJ

Tel: 01304 872318
Fax: 01304 872300
Email: [email address]
Web: www.dover.gov.uk

P Please consider the Environment before printing this email

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