As part of a new pilot, Perth and Kinross Council will pass on minibuses – at the end of their operational life but in a suitable condition – directly to community groups.
Up to £50,000 has been allocated from the Anti-Poverty Measures Fund in earmarked reserves to support any necessary repairs for MOT purposes before transfer to local organisations.
The policy was approved by Perth and Kinross Council’s Finance and Resources Committee on Wednesday, September 18.
PKC has 14 minibuses which are due to reach end of their operational life within council service this financial year; three of them have already been withdrawn from service.
A report put before the council committee recommended a proposed working repair budget of up to £5000 per vehicle “with flexibility on a case by case basis as required”.
There will be a trial period to test the new arrangement with feedback sought from community groups after three months then again six months after the date of transfer.
Moving the proposal for approval, SNP council leader Grant Laing said: “I think it is quite an innovative way to move forward to move surplus stock on to where it can be put to better use.
“This innovative approach will remove a barrier to groups, particularly those in rural areas, who may not otherwise have access to their own transport solution and help mitigate the issues being experienced in some of our communities around transport, poverty and social connectivity.”
Seconding the proposal, the committee’s convener Strathearn SNP councillor Stewart Donaldson said: “It’s going to be of benefit to a whole range of people across Perth and Kinross, especially in rural areas and smaller communities.”
Liberal Democrat councillor Peter Barrett and Independent councillor Colin Stewart expressed concern about “gold plating the exercise” by spending time and money fixing up minibuses before passing them on.
Cllr Barrett said: “I support the principle of providing serviceable vehicles to community groups. The idea originated from community groups who felt they were buying ex-council minibuses which had been sold at auction and were having to pay through the nose for those vehicles. By cutting out the middle man we’re going to be generating community benefits.”
He added: “We do have to be flexible over the three to six-month period we’re running the trial. I do think we’re in danger of gold plating the exercise and I don’t want to see the council’s mechanics team spending an inordinate amount of time bringing minibuses up to MOT standards when they should be working on the fleet of vehicles the council needs to support its operation.”
Cllr Stewart said: “I do think we have to be bold and trust communities and, as a council, not be risk averse at the cost of potential benefit that there is to communities out there, if they can do things for better value than the council can.”
Provost Xander McDade said setting aside up to £50,000 to fix up the minibuses was “a very small sum of money in the grand scheme of things” and the initiative “could have transformational impacts in communities”.