2014-12-09 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                            9 DECEMBER 2014


1.   Background

Noosa Council currently provides two different transport services, Council Cabs, for people
over 60 and/or with a disability and the Boreen Point-Tewantin Flexilink for people without
access to public transport.

At its July 2014 meeting, a “Council Cabs Review 2014” report was presented to the
Infrastructure & Services Committee providing an overview of the Council Cabs services with
a recommendation to discontinue the service and to advise existing users of the alternative
transport options available. Council requested a further report outlining the number of
passengers affected, alternatives available and the potential social impacts of discontinuing
the Council Cabs service.

A further report was submitted to the General Committee Meeting on 28 July 2014 where a
resolution was passed to defer consideration of the matter to a future round of Council
meetings to allow the development of appropriate conditions of use of the Council Cabs
service in the Noosa Shire.

This direction from Council was provided to allow for further review and refinement of the
eligibility criteria of the service. The general view of Council was that the transport service
should only be for use by those in genuine need.

Due to the wider community social needs identified for review, Project Officer, Joanna Ferris,
was requested to consult with Development Officer, Kylie Finigan in developing eligibility
criteria for Council Cabs. After discussions with Lifeline, St Vincent De Paul, Salvation Army
Noosa Crisis Housing Service and Pomona Community House the feedback from these
organisations was to remove age as an eligibility criteria and to provide a more flexible
system to assist those most in need when they need it.

A joint Council Cabs report was submitted to the 16 September 2014 Infrastructure &
Services Committee Meeting with the recommendation to continue to provide the Council
Cabs service but only for people who hold a Pensioner Concession Card, as well as to
increase fares to $3 each way.

The Pensioner Concession Card income and asset limits were discussed and the outcome
from the Meeting was to defer consideration of “Council Cabs Eligibility Criteria” and “Boreen
Point – Tewantin Flexilink Service” to a future round of meetings to allow staff to investigate
further possibilities for partnering with existing community organisations and businesses who
might want to be involved in the provision of subsidised community transport. (The “Boreen
Point-Tewantin Flexilink Service” report was not discussed at the September Infrastructure &
Services Committee Meeting, but rather included in the recommendation to investigate
partnering with community organisations and businesses to provide subsidised transport).

2.   Noosa Council Transport Assist

The following purpose, service area, service frequency, and eligibility criteria are proposed
for the new transport service.

Purpose
To provide a transport service to people who need it most when they need it most. The
service is designed to fill community transport needs which are not being met through
existing services.




                                                                                      Page 4 of 32