Over the past year the Blue Badge and Concessionary Travel team have continued to support applicants when applying for Blue Badges and Concessionary Travel bus passes or with general enquiries. The team have been working hard to issue badges/passes or reach an outcome from an assessment ahead of their advertised processing time of 12 weeks.
The team have successfully transitioned to a more digital way of working as a service and this has improved the teams efficiency. We have been supporting customers who do not have access to the internet by arranging appointments for the team to meet with them in the Customer Service Centre in Hove Town Hall to complete application forms, take photos or photocopies or just to guide them through the process.
The team are continuing to investigate reports of possible Blue Badge misuse and fraud, providing Blue Badge enforcement across the city. The enforcement and investigation officers now have personal alarms and body cameras as part of their standard uniform. The body cameras are not only for their safety but also to provide evidence as part of the cases that are passed to the council legal team for possible caution or prosecution.
The enforcement and investigation officers continue to educate people on how a Blue Badge should be used, ensuring genuine Blue Badge holders are able to access goods and services more freely.
The team maintain a strong working partnership with Sussex Police offering Community Resolutions and are holding regular joint action days as part of Operation Bluebird. During these action days Blue Badges are being checked that are displayed in vehicles on street and the Police are also providing assistance in ongoing investigations.
The Blue Badge team are looking at future ways of educating people on the use of Blue Badges and ways to deal with those that abuse the system. As well as the community resolutions that we offer in conjunction with Sussex Police we are now offering cautions as another step in the program as well as prosecutions.
During 2022 to 2023 the enforcement and investigation officers actioned: