Oversight Report - Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme 2021-22
North Lanarkshire Council · 3 May 2023
Back to Environment and Climate Change Committee — 3 May 2023 and its agenda
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Environment and Climate Change Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☐ Yes ☒ No Ref: PH/SMcD Date 03/05/23 Oversight Report – Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme 2021/22 From Pamela Humphries, Chief Officer (Place) E-mail Mcdougalls@northlan.gov.uk Telephone Susan McDougall, 07977 060701 Executive Summary This report provides members with an overview of performance in 2021/22 by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme (SCTS). SPT is the Regional Transport Partnership for the west of Scotland and has a statutory duty to develop a transport strategy for its region. The SCTS oversees the operation of the concessionary fares scheme for public transport within the SPT area and is responsible for the determining the criteria and which routes are eligible for concessionary fares. The Council appoints elected members to serve on the boards of these bodies and must therefore maintain oversight of performance to ensure compliance with ‘Following the Public Pound’ obligations. The former Arm’s Length External Organisations (ALEOs) and External Bodies Monitoring Committee, at its initial meeting in May 2016, considered the reporting frequency and determined that annual reporting was appropriate and proportionate given the wider governance arrangements that exist and the likely level of risk to the Council. The appendices to this report summarise the 2021/22 performance for SPT and the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme. They also set out the oversight arrangement in place to confirm that both organisations operate satisfactory governance and scrutiny processes. Recommendations The Environment and Climate Change Committee is requested to: 1. Note the governance and scrutiny arrangements currently in place within SPT and the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme. 2. Note both organisations 2021/22 performance. 3. Identify areas of activity requiring further consideration by the Council. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve economic opportunities and outcomes Ambition statement (2) Refocus our town centres and communities to be multi- functional connected places which maximise social, economic, and environmental opportunities
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1. Background 1.1 The ALEOs and External Bodies Monitoring Committee previously approved the Performance Monitoring Framework in respect of the Council’s arm’s length bodies in May 2016 and agreed that monitoring and reporting should be proportionate to the scale of activity and likely level of risk to the Council. Members noted that bodies such as SPT, although jointly funded by the Council and other local authorities, are statutory bodies already subject to significant levels of public scrutiny and accountability. Accordingly, the Committee determined that an annual composite oversight report covering all statutory bodies would sufficiently address the Council’s ‘Following the Public Pound’ obligations. 2. Report 2.1 This report provides oversight of the following statutory bodies: • SPT (Appendix 1). • Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme (Appendix 2). 2.2 The Council appoints representatives to each of the above organisations’ Boards and membership on 31 March 2022, is included in the relevant Appendices. As statutory bodies in their own right, the individual bodies are required to prepare and publish annual Statements of Accounts and to report publicly on their performance. To this end, significant public scrutiny already existing in respect of each of these organisations. 2.3. The Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme is overseen by its Joint Committee and subject to external audit in line with Audit Scotland’s ‘Code of Audit Practice’. 2.4 Appendices 1 and 2 provide the following information in respect of each organisation: • Remit • Statutory powers • Board membership • Principal activities • Key performance indicators • Contribution to Council Business Plan; and, • Financial overview 3. Measures of success 3.1 This report provides members with information in relation to the statutory bodies’ operational and financial performance in furtherance of the Committee’s remit to, ‘monitor the performance of all services, including those delivered through partners and external bodies, within the remit of this Committee and to be responsible for the supervision and oversight of those services’. 3.2 Appendices 1 and 2 demonstrate where the individual statutory bodies’ activities impact on the Council’s Business Plan to 2022. The level of involvement and direct responsibility for specific Business Plan actions varies in accordance with each organisation’s remit.
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4. Supporting documentation Appendix 1 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Overview 2021/22 Appendix 2 Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme Overview 2021/22 Further background information on SPT’s activity within North Lanarkshire can be found using the following link: northlanarkshire_councilreport.pdf (spt.co.uk) Pamela Humphries Chief Officer of Place
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Statutory responsibilities under the Fairer Scotland Duty apply to the relevant bodies in their own right and as such each entity is responsible for ensuring that strategic decision making and service delivery proposals take due cognisance of the duty to reduce the inequalities of outcomes caused by socio-economic disadvantage. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact
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Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services.
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Appendix 1: Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) Overview 2021/22 Remit SPT is the largest of Scotland’s regional transport partnerships, planning and delivering transport solutions for all modes of transport across the west of Scotland in conjunction with member councils, industry partners and other key regional stakeholders. Statutory Powers Through the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 SPT has a statutory duty to develop a transport strategy for its region, taking into account demographics, meeting the needs of all inhabited places, enhancing social and economic well- being, promoting public safety and sustainable development. Board Membership SPT’s Partnership Board is made up of 20 elected members representing 12 constituent councils. Current NLC Members: Cllr Adam Smith Cllr Gordon Currie Cllr Michael McPake Principal Activities SPT subsidises socially necessary bus services, operates bus stations and maintains bus shelters as well as operating the Glasgow subway. In addition, it administers the ZoneCard (a flexible season ticket) and other tickets and is a partner in JourneyShare (a car sharing scheme). Responsibility for the provision of school transport rests with local authorities. NLC contracts SPT to undertake this on their behalf. Key Performance Indicators 2020/21 2021/22 NLC pupils transported per day 8608 8673 No of supported services operating in North Lanarkshire 45 45 Contribution to NLC Business Plan • Support all children and young people to realise their full potential • Improve economic opportunities and outcomes • Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities
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Financial Overview 2020/21 Actual £000s NL Council Contribution (£5.41M in 2020/21) (£5.453M in 2021/22) 2021/2022 Actual £000s 26,780 Subway operations 28,815 18,754 Bus operations 19,184 1,328 Operations - other 1,379 4,063 Business support 4,334 14,403 Corporate 15,826 65,328 Total Cost of Services 69,538 (16,933) Subway operations income (19,530) (1,723) Bus operation income (2,652) (503) Business support (356) (2,298) Corporate (1,358) (21,457) Total Gross Income (23,896) (51,628) Taxation and Non-specific grant income (51,769) 43,871 Total Net Cost on services 45,642 78 Other operating expenditure (40) (849) Financing and Investment Income and Expenditure (1,001) (8,684) Surplus on the provision of services (7,168) 0 Revaluation on non current assets 0 (6,408) Actuarial (Gains)/Losses pension liabilities (34,019) 0 Other comprehensive income and expenditure 0 (15,092) Total Comprehensive Income and Expenditure (41,187) SPT Website: www.spt.co.uk
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Appendix 2: Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme (SCTS) Overview 2021/22 Remit The Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme Committee was set up in 1999 to determine concessionary fares and criteria applicable for concessionary travel on subway, rail services and on ferry services within the Strathclyde scheme area. It determines which of those services and routes qualify for a concessionary fare. The SCTS is open to people aged 60 over, plus many disabled people if they live permanently in the area covered by the scheme. The scheme is administered by SPT. Statutory Powers Founded on the provisions of the Transport Act 1985, which allows transport authorities to make concessionary transport schemes in certain circumstances, the Committee is required to make arrangements for the proper administration of the Scheme and its financial affairs, manage its affairs to secure economic, efficient and effective use of resources and to safeguard its assets and approve the Statement of Accounts. Members of the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Joint Committee The joint Committee consists of 13 Elected Members representing the 12 constituent unitary authorities in the west of Scotland, together with the Chair of SPT. Current NLC Member: Cllr William Goldie Principal Activities Administering concessionary travel for the over 60s and disabled persons (and in certain cases, concessionary travel for companions). Key Performance Indicators 2020/21 2021/22 Disabled National Entitlement Card on Issue to NLC residents 10,194 8,688 Disabled National Entitlement Card Renewals (NLC residents) 2,404 2,793 Disabled National Entitlement Card First Time applications (NLC residents) 212 469 Contribution to NLC Business Plan • Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities • Improve economic opportunities and outcomes Financial Overview 2020/21 Actual £000s NL Council Contribution 2020/21(£568k) 2021/22 (£573K) 2021/22 Actual £000s 964 Payment to operators 2,645 349 Corporate costs 302 1,313 Cost of Services 2,947 Financed by: (7) Financial and investment income and expenditure (7) (4,039) Taxation and non specific grant income (4,076) 2,733 Deficit on provision of services (1,136) 0 Other comprehensive income and expenditure 0 2,733 Total comprehensive income and expenditure (1,136) Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme Website: www.spt.co.uk/travelcards/concessions