To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

Councillor R Stirman declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 3 – Call-In of Cabinet Decision: Rationalisation of Supported Bus Services 2019/2020 as she had pre-determined the matter.  Councillor Stirman took no further part and withdrew from the meeting. 

Invitees:

Mark Shephard – Chief Executive

Zak Shell – Head of Operations Community Services

Gill Lewis – Interim Head of Finance and Section 151 officer

Cllr Richard Young – Cabinet Member Communities

The Group Manager Legal and Democratic Services advised the Committee that a proposed decision of Cabinet to rationalise supported bus services had been Called-in by 4 Members.  She stated that all Members are entitled to a view, however pre-determination is a breach of the Code of Conduct.

A member of the Committee placed on record that it was her belief that Councillor Webster should not chair the meeting as she is one of the Members who had called-in the decision and that she should relinquish the chair for the meeting.  The Group Manager Legal and Democratic Services advised that it was a matter for Members to decide whether they had pre-determined the matter.  The Chairperson stated that she had not pre-determined but confirmed that she had called-in the matter.

The Chairperson invited members of the public and members of Council who had registered to speak in advance to address the Committee.

The Committee was addressed by Mr Gordon Adamson who stated that he had no other means of getting into Bridgend and to supermarkets and he would feel cut off, especially on Sundays.  He also expressed concern at the loss of connecting services in order to be able to travel to Cardiff and Swansea.  He would like to see the frequency of buses increased and expressed concern at the condition of buses.  The Committee was then addressed by Mrs Chris Lloyd who stated that bus services are a lifeline for the elderly in order to attend medical appointments, they were also a lifeline for younger people in order to get to college and gain access to job opportunities and to get a good start in life.  The loss of bus services would jeopardise those opportunities.  Mrs Morfydd O’Keefe informed the Committee that she had responsibility for her husband and grandson and that she uses bus services each day.  She stated that many members of the communities of Llangynwyd and Maesteg Park rely on bus services in order to travel to Bridgend.  Mr Rowland Pittard informed the Committee that there should be equality for all tax payers having access to bus transport.  He expressed concern that one bus service had been diverted away from Penyfai which had impacted on the community.  He stated there was no coordinated transport plan and Active Travel in Bridgend with that of the needs of people and for moving around the Borough, coupled with high taxi fares and the lack of availability of taxis in the daytime. 

Councillor A Hussain spoke on behalf of the residents of Penyfai expressing concern at the walking routes in the village being poor and poor accessibility to rail services.  The village is served by one bus route, with previous routes having been diverted away from the village and has been ignored in Active Travel developments.  He stated that residents in the village have become isolated due to the lack of bus services and that a bus service is a lifeline for the village.  He requested the Committee hold Cabinet to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.