CONCESSIONARY BUS TRAVEL FOR PENSIONERS IN TAUNTON DEANE

That this House welcomes the concessionary bus pass scheme for pensioners in Taunton Deane; recognises the benefits such a scheme provides to local pensioners, including encouraging participation in leisure and social activities, and widening access to local amenities and services; also welcomes the reduction in car use the full implementation of the scheme would encourage and the consequential benefits to the local environment and congestion; expresses concern at the shortfall in national funding provided for the scheme in Taunton Deane for 2007-08, which accounted for only 38 per cent. of the actual funding required; regrets that the previous local administration in Taunton Deane failed to balance the budget and provided only 28 per cent. of the funding needed for 2007-08 when it was decided in February 2007, with the consequence that the current administration must attempt to rectify its error without making up the £538,000 shortfall through a 10.46 per cent. council tax rise; welcomes the scheme's nationwide expansion in 2008-09, but expresses serious concern that the £1,037,000 required to finance it in Taunton Deane will again not be provided at a potential cost to the local taxpayer of 20 per cent. more on their council tax bill; urges the Government to rectify the funding shortfall for 2007-08; and calls on the Government to provide sufficient funding in time for the nationwide rollout of the 2008-09 scheme so that Taunton Deane pensioners and residents are not penalised by administrative accounting shortfalls as they have been previously.