Concessionary travel passes

The request was successful.

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 have such arrangements does you 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

Simon Merritt, Christchurch Borough Council

Dear Mr Eriksohn

Information Request

Thank you for your request for infomation received yesterday, 29th January
2009.

The Council has the information you asked for. Please see the answers to
your questions below :

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?

YES, IF THE APPLICANT HAS A LEARNING DISABILITY (PROOF OF THE BLUE
REGISTRATION CARD OR EVIDENCE OF RECEIVING SPECIALIST SERVICES EG FROM
SOCIAL SERVICES IS REQUESTED).

THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR THE SURVIVOR OF THE APPLICANT. HOWEVER, IF
REQUIRED, THE APPLICANT MAY APPLY FOR A COMPANION PASS WHICH WILL BE
PROVIDED UPON COMPLETEION OF MEDICAL CERTIFICATE STATING, IN MEDICAL
PRACTITIONER'S OPINION, THAT THE APPLIACNT IS UNABLE TO USE THE BUS
WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.

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?

ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE AS OUTLINED ABOVE. THE DECISION WAS TAKEN AS
DISABLED USERS ENTITLED TO USE THE SERVICE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
TAKE ADVATANGE OF THE SCHEME WITHOUT A COMPANION PASS.

3. If your authority does have such arrangements does you authority
have some other arrangement beyond the statuary minimum to provide
passes to those with mental health issues?

ONLY THE PROVISION OF A COMPANION PASS

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?

N/A

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

THE COUNCIL HAS NO POLICY DOCUMENTS ON THIS MATTER - IT FOLLOWS THE
BASIC STATUTORY CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL SCHEME

I hope this satisfies your request. If you have any complaints in respect
of your information request, please write to the Chief Executive at the
address below or complete the on-line complaint form that can be found at
[1]www.dorsetforyou.com. If your complaint is not resolved to your
complete satisfaction, you have the right to apply to the Information
Commissioner for a decision.

Yours sincerely

Simon Merritt

for Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Christchurch Borough Council

Civic Offices

Bridge Street

Christchurch

BH23 1AZ

"LEGAL NOTICE

The information contained in this communication is confidential and may be
legally privileged. It is intended solely for the use of the individual or
entity to whom it is addressed and others authorised to receive it.

If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender
immediately then destroy any copies of this message. You are hereby
notified that any disclosure, copying distribution or taking of any action
in reliance on the content of this information is strictly prohibited and
may be unlawful. Christchurch Borough Council ("the Borough Council") is
neither liable for the proper and complete transmission of the information
contained in this communication nor for any delay in its receipt. Any
views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily represent those of the Borough Council.

Virus checking:

Whilst all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that this electronic
communication and its attachments whether encoded, encrypted or otherwise
supplied are free from computer viruses, the Borough Council accepts no
liability in respect of any loss, cost, damage or expense suffered as a
result of accessing this message or any of its attachments." 

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dorsetforyou.com/