Central Beds Council urged to allow Blue Badges for community transport services
Disabled residents in parts of Central Bedfordshire face “an unfair” and “cruel” impact, if community voluntary transport groups are denied organisational blue badges, a meeting was warned.
A motion urging Central Bedfordshire Council’s executive to allow these travel operators to be issued with blue badges was passed at an extraordinary meeting.
Conservative Caddington councillor Kevin Collins, who chairs the council, said: “As a primary principle, a matter allocated to the executive shouldn’t be determined by the full council merely because councillors want to debate it.
“Blue badges are a matter for the executive, which only reached a decision about this in June. These points have been considered recently and the matter determined.
“Motions through full council shouldn’t be used to reopen an executive decision. Attempting to do so creates legal risk, while debating such decisions of the council could create a precedent.
“My likely action in July would have been to refer the matter directly to the executive without debate. If the council is minded to endorse the motion, then it’s referred back to the executive. If it fails, it won’t be referred and the matter is concluded.”
Presenting his motion, Independent Leighton Linslade West councillor Steve Owen explained: “Organisational blue badges can be issued when the vehicle is used to carry a disabled person who would themselves be eligible for one under the regulations.
“The bus operators in Leighton-Linslade, Dunstable and Houghton Regis attended CBC’s sustainable communities overview and scrutiny committee in April to confirm they met that criteria and how.
“The committee accepted this and endorsed their call for the action outlined in this motion. Other local authorities are lawfully issuing blue badges, with no records of their misuse or of charges, allegations or fines. To issue the blue badges will cost us nothing.”
Reform UK Houghton Regis East councillor Pat Hamill seconded the motion, adding: “What is happening to our community voluntary transport organisations and disabled residents is simply wrong.
“Councils have the statutory discretion under eligibility regulations (to allocate blue badges). No local authorities are fined for issuing these.
“The Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity door-to-door service covering the Ampthill, Shefford and Biggleswade areas gets its blue badges from Bedford Borough Council. We’ve not challenged that or called it unlawful.
“Disabled people in the south of Central Bedfordshire are being denied this support. That’s not just unfair. It’s discriminatory and may well be unlawful. The impact on our residents is real and it’s cruel.
“The blue badges aren’t a luxury. They’re the difference between getting to a doctor’s appointment, a hospital visit or a day centre, or seeing family and friends.”
Independent Aspley and Woburn councillor John Baker replied: “I’ve heard what you want to achieve, but not because of a problem which hasn’t been solved by this council.
“Officers interpret guidance and law, and have taken advice from a barrister. This council hands out organisational blue badges. It’s not at fault.
“After meeting two Dial-a-Ride organisations, officers addressed an issue with an extended grace period. They’ve done their best to do what other councils do and to meet these operators.”
The motion was approved, with 26 votes in favour, five against and 11 abstentions, leaving CBC’s executive to decide whether the matter is rescheduled for a future meeting of the committee.