Travel voucher shame

I was unhappy to hear the council voted down a Conservative and Charity-proposed solution to the travel voucher mess (brought about by Labour's lack of faith in the ability of local authorities to look after their residents).

My colleagues proposed a joint venture with Age Concern, who would have managed an alternative scheme to the travel vouchers. This would have enabled the elderly, disabled and infirm to continue to get about with dignity and at a rate affordable to the council (a tenth the cost of maintaining travel vouchers under the new concessionary fares scheme).

In a shocking (political?) move, the sensible proposal was voted down by the chamber's Liberal, Labour and Independent councillors. The reason given? It would become an on-going concern -- an outrageous and pathetic excuse! The Lib-Dem administration showed they have no problem cutting ongoing concerns when they scrapped one of our town's essential Park and Rides to fund their recycling scheme!

This council is right to make sure it does not to hold people back in certain circumstances (e.g. by investing £50,000 in local Olympic causes), but it should not do that if it means leaving our most vulnerable behind, as their rejection of our propsal will. Shame on them.