Issue - meetings
Blue Badge Scheme
Meeting: 14/01/2013 - Executive (Item 7)
7 Blue Badge Scheme PDF 158 KB
This paper provides: an overview of the Blue Badge scheme and its enforcement; the recent national changes to the Blue Badge scheme; the proposed changes to the administration of Blue Badges in Brent, and the proposed changes to enforcement in Brent.
Additional documents:
Decision:
(i) that approval be given to the implementation of a charge for a standard issue Blue Badge in line with national guidance from 1 February 2013;
(ii) that agreement be given to the set fee for recovery of enforcement costs and its future inflation indexing as set out in paragraph 6.10 of the report from the Directors of Environment and Neighbourhood Services and of Adult Social Services;
(iii) that agreement be given to enhance Blue Badge enforcement capacity to ensure that Blue Badge benefits are used only enjoyed by people with a genuine need;
(iv) that agreement be given to the adoption of a robust enforcement approach.
Minutes:
The joint report from the Directors of Adult and Social Care and Environment and Neighbourhood Services provided an overview of the blue badge scheme and its enforcement, recent national changes and proposals for administration and enforcement in Brent. Under the Blue Badge Improvement Scheme, badges would now be issued nationally and it was hoped that more spaces would become available as a result of the renewed drive to reduce fraud and misuse. Staff would also work more closely with the Audit and Investigation Team. The Chair (Councillor Butt, Leader of the Council) endorsed the need to tackle misuse and to take action against fraudsters.
RESOLVED:
(i) that approval be given to the implementation of a charge for a standard issue Blue Badge in line with national guidance from 1 February 2013;
(ii) that agreement be given to the set fee for recovery of enforcement costs and its future inflation indexing as set out in paragraph 6.10 of the report from the Directors of Environment and Neighbourhood Services and of Adult Social Services;
(iii) that agreement be given to enhance Blue Badge enforcement capacity to ensure that Blue Badge benefits are used only enjoyed by people with a genuine need;
(iv) that agreement be given to the adoption of a robust enforcement approach.