Bill must be fair to the victims of HS2 compulsory purchase, says CLA

"THE High Speed Rail Preparation Bill to be debated in parliament on Thursday, 31 October 2013, must be fair to those facing compulsory purchase of their properties." the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) told the press on Wednesday, 30 October 2013.

CLA President Harry Cotterell said:- "HS2 has become a political football with yards of controversial media coverage. Yet all the while, farmers, other land managers and rural businesses along the proposed route are really suffering. With the huge level of uncertainty, they simply can't invest in their businesses. The best the victims of compulsory purchase along the route can expect is derisory compensation, often paid late, on which they will be taxed. We've been promised fairness by the Government and want to see a proper property bond scheme, a duty of care by the acquirer and guarantees of mitigation measures put in place by this Bill."

Former Government Minister Caroline Spelman, MP for Meriden which is on the proposed HS2 route, said:- "As the paving Bill reaches its final stages in the Commons, with the help of the CLA I have tabled amendments with the aim of securing compensation which is fair and generous, as the Government has promised it should be, for those living along the route of HS2. These include the property bond to underpin sales, help for businesses and landowners, mitigations which offset the loss of green space and measures to ensure [compensation] payment is prompt and just."

CLA Chief Surveyor Andrew Shirley said:- "If HS2 is to be the modern face of public transport, it should be matched by a 21st century compulsory purchase system, not one that harks back to the Victorian era and is in a terrible state of disrepair. Owners of rural property and businesses close to the proposed HS2 route are already suffering blight, and the Government needs to act quickly to resolve the issues that affect them. This can only be done with an effective property bond scheme which provides property and business owners with assurances they will receive the promised fair compensation so their businesses can continue to invest with certainty."

Transport reviews set to start!

REVIEWS are set to start for 800 people in Liverpool who get Council transport to social care services. At the moment, social care assessments assume that everybody who travels to support services, such as a day centre, needs transport to get there. This is regardless of whether or not they are able to use public transport or have access to a mobility vehicle.

Under the new proposals, transport will only be provided where an individual is deemed eligible following an assessment, and after public transport, concessionary passes, motability vehicle and Disability Living Allowance mobility component (DLA) have been considered and deemed inappropriate. Where it is identified that direct transport is the only safe method, it will continue to be provided, subject to an annual review.

It will bring the City Council into line with many other neighbouring and comparable local authorities who have done, or are doing, the same thing. Following consultation, an appeals process has been introduced to the policy to make sure people who receive the DLA mobility component do not have the whole allowance used up by travelling to day centres which could impact on other aspects of their social life.

Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for adult social care, Councillor Roz Gladden, said:- "This is about making sure that we consider everyone's individual circumstances rather than simply imposing a universal service on them. We have a situation at the moment where we simply treat everyone the same. In some cases we are providing transport for them to get to social care services when for the rest of the week they are using mobility vehicles or public transport. We know that service users can benefit massively by making their own way to and from services as it gives them a huge sense of independence. We fully appreciate that any suggestion of a change to the current system will inevitably cause some concern among some services users and their carers, but they should rest assured that we will not be withdrawing the service unless they are able to use an alternative form of transport. This is about making sure that we target resources at those people who actually need it."

All of the existing 800 services users will be reviewed over the next 4 months, but no transport service will be removed without a social worker fully reviewing their individual circumstances. Full support and training will be given to people where necessary. Letters have been issued to the people affected to inform them that the reviews are set to start in November (2013).