Agenda item

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which details the draft final version of the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum inquiry report, entitled ‘Catching the Bus’, for Members’ approval

Further to Minute No. 9, 9^th June 2006, a report was submitted by the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which sought the Board’s approval of the final report and recommendations of the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum entitled, ‘Catching the Bus’, a copy of which had been appended to the report for Members’ consideration. The Board was also invited to help ensure that the report was widely circulated and that formal responses to the Forum’s recommendations were submitted for consideration to the July 2007 meeting of the Board, or its successor.

Diane Whiteley-McLean, Senior Youth Worker, Youth Service, Leanne Rivers, Reach Out and Reconnect (ROAR), and Gaby Paradis, The Project, were all in attendance to present the information detailed within the report and answer any questions raised. Rosemary Archer, Director of Children’s Services, was also in attendance.

Having received an overview of the key themes detailed within the report from those representatives present, the Board congratulated the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum both on the way they had conducted the inquiry and on the production of the resulting report. A question and answer session then ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

Key Issues Arising from the Inquiry

·  Members acknowledged that the inquiry had found the issue of cost to be the most significant barrier to young people travelling by bus in Leeds, and enquired what the anticipated cost of travel would be for young people if further concessionary fares were introduced;

·  Having enquired about the financial impact that the cost of travelling by bus to and from employment had upon young people in Leeds, Members learned that as a considerable proportion of employment undertaken by young people was on a part time basis, the cost of travel could have a significant financial impact upon young people;

·  Members endorsed the particular significance of several issues highlighted within the report, such as the reliability of services and routes, the relationship between bus drivers and young people and the marketing of concessionary bus travel;

·  The Board emphasised the correlation between the reliability of bus services and other issues such as passenger safety, discussed the decreased frequency of bus services on an evening and the impact that this had upon the range of activities undertaken by young people during such times.

Proposed Actions Following the Report’s Publication

·  Members emphasised the need to ensure that the findings of the report were not lost sight of, and proposed that responses to the inquiry’s recommendations were sought from all relevant parties. In response, the Board learned that a meeting had already taken place with representatives of the Youth Council in order to progress the issues raised by the inquiry, and that formal responses to the report’s recommendations were to be submitted to the Scrutiny Board for consideration;

·  The Board made reference to the possibility of using the recommendations within the report which related to concessionary bus travel, as part of a wider programme to promote environmental issues with young people;

·  The Director of Children’s Services congratulated the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum on the production of the report, concurred with the views of the Board in relation to the value of the work undertaken, and stated that copies of the report had already been circulated to members of Corporate Management Team so that a co-ordinated approach could be taken when addressing the issues raised;

·  The Chair of Scrutiny Board (Development) suggested that the report could be circulated to members of Scrutiny Board (Development) for consideration, as it was felt that several issues arising from the report fell within the remit of that particular Board;

·  Following confirmation by the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum that it hoped the Scrutiny Board would lend its support to the pursuit of the issues raised by the inquiry, Members proposed that the document was circulated to representatives of all relevant organisations, with formal responses to the report’s recommendations being sought and submitted to the July 2007 meeting of the Scrutiny Board (Children’s Services), or its successor.

General Observations

·  The Board discussed the relative working conditions of bus drivers in Leeds and the impact that such conditions had upon recruitment levels. Members then learned of the attempts being made to improve the levels of service provided by bus drivers in Leeds;

·  The Board considered the negative image that was often associated with young people generally, and the need for such an image to be addressed.

In conclusion, the Chair thanked the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum once more for the work which had been undertaken as part of the inquiry.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the final recommendations and report of the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum entitled, ‘Catching the Bus’, be approved;

(b). That formal responses be sought from all relevant officers and organisations to the recommendations within the report, and submitted to the July 2007 meeting of the Scrutiny Board (Children’s Services), or its successor;

(c). That in compliance with the wishes of the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum, the Board ensures that the report be widely circulated and given appropriate consideration by all relevant parties.