The Lib Dem Group was successful at today’s meeting of Warwickshire County Council in amending a motion on Bus Fares originally put forward by Green councillors. The amendment will refer the subject to the Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee for detailed review. While sympathetic to some of the objectives of the Green motion, Liberal Democrat members believed there were wider issues to address, which were best dealt with in committee rather than asking Full Council to make a snap judgement.

Curiously, the whole of the Conservative Group abstained on the amended motion, despite a number of Tory members making it clear in the debate that they thought nothing could be done about bus fares, and that it was all down to way a “free market” operates. However, the amended motion was passed with the unanimous support of all other members.

We look forward to a thorough Scrutiny review of this important subject later in the year.