Agenda item

a.   To receive a report on the outcomes of the Youth Transport Task Group.

b. To receive a report on transport and young people in the Marlborough Community Area from Liam Tatton-Bennett.

a. Youth Transport Task and Finish Group - ‘Transport to Go!’

Julia Densham, (Community Area Manager) presented a report on the outcomes of the Youth Transport Task Group, a group of volunteers, officers and youth workers who had offered to work on the project when the task group was formed at the area board meeting in June 2010.

The ‘Dreams and Wishes’ survey, commissioned by the Marlborough and Villages Community Area Partnership, reported that most young people wished to access affordable transport into Marlborough and Swindon.  Alongside this, Wiltshire Council co-hosted a conference in Devizes in February 2010 entitled ‘Move It’ to bring together young people and transport providers to consider the issues young people face when trying to use public transport.  As a result of this conference, Wiltshire Council gave approximately £5,000 to each area board to explore ways in which these issues could be addressed.  Marlborough Area Board received £4,547.

Given the extremely short time scales (the pilot was to last 4 months), the task group decided to select specific events to which transport could be offered.  This included films and events at St John’s School, Bluz n Zuz discos in Marlborough, events arranged through the Youth Development Centre (ice-skating and bowling in Swindon) and the Slum Survivor project in Marlborough.

 (The full report is attached to these minutes).

Decision

·        That Parish councils encourage the formation of their own youth committees, in conjunction with local youth clubs, to organise their own transport to events.

·        Village/parish councils consider the wide variety of youth transport opportunities.

·        Village/parish councils consider the needs of low-income / single parent / no-vehicle families.

·        That the remaining youth transport budget (£3331) to be ring-fenced for any future youth transport schemes within the community area, including those considered by the Marlborough Community Area Transport Group.

The Chairman thanked The Community Area Manager for her report.

b. Report on Transport and Young People in the Marlborough Community Area. 

Liam Tatton-Bennett presented a report that highlighted young peoples transport issues and needs across the Marlborough community area.

The report recognised that transport was a key issue for young people living in Wiltshire and to address this issue locally, the Marlborough Area Board commissioned a Transport Working Group to look into addressing this issue in partnership with local communities’ charity Community First.

(The full report was included in the agenda pack).

Decision

• That the Marlborough Area Board accepts the findings of the reports and agrees with the recommendations of Liam Tatton-Bennett.

• To continue efforts with St. John’s School to bring together a School minibus, parent volunteer drivers / chaperones, and young people at the School  to bring about the provision of a facility which enables young people based in and close to Marlborough to travel to events which they cannot access easily at present

• To further efforts in Ramsbury to bring together the Ramsbury Community Bus, parent volunteer drivers / chaperones and young people in Ramsbury and Axford to bring about the provision of a facility which enables young people based in and close to Ramsbury to travel to events which they cannot access easily at present

• To pursue efforts in Ramsbury to involve local young people in gathering, designing and publicising public bus information in partnership with Wiltshire Council and also in lobbying for bus shelters in the area in partnership with Ramsbury Parish Council.

The Chairman thanked  Liam Tatton-Bennett for his report.