Disability campaigners are a step closer to overturning a controversial city council scheme to axe disabled bus passes.

Protesters and wheelchair users celebrated outside Southampton Civic Centre after council chiefs promised to “look again” at the plans.

More than 400 disabled residents have been stripped of their concessionary passes since the council slashed the service last year.

A further 800 will expire at the end of the year – while 400 people will fail to qualify for the national bus pass, leaving them forced to pay for their own travel.

Protesters – who are considering legal action – claim this will leave many elderly and wheelchair users, already squeezed by the cuts, stranded in their homes and unable to get to visit shops, doctors’ surgeries, friends and family.

Last night council transport leader Councillor Jacqui Rayment promised the authority would review the scheme.

Her pledge made at yesterday’s full council meeting followed a mass demonstration held outside the civic centre.

Protesters led by Unite Community Southampton brandished flags and placards and chanted “give us our bus passes” as councillors arrived for the meet- ing.

In the Chamber Unite members accused the council of failing to carry out sufficient consultation to address the impacts on city residents failing to qualify for the national passes.

Group chairman Mike Dukes told the meeting: “How do you see this as mitigation and not simply a disregard for equality legislation?”

Cllr Rayment stressed that the authority contacted the relevant authorities at the time but concerns were not mentioned.

She said the scheme is “reasonable and proportionate” but promised to look again and said: “I’m not promising to make changes but we will assess and review it in light of the information that has come forward.

“We might be able to do something, we might not.”

Afterwards Mr Dukes stressed he is considering seeking legal help to fight their corner and added: “I’m delighted they are looking at it again but there needs to be urgency.”

 

COUNCIL MEETING PUSHES THROUGH £9M BUDGET CUTS

THE meeting also saw councillors approve £9m of cuts to the authority’s budget.

Members rubber-stamped the plans – which include 46 job losses.

It is part of the council having to make £30 million efficiency savings for 2015/16 alone.

The latest package, including £1.3m in 2014/15 and £6.8m in 2015/16, includes cuts to health and adult social care, resources and leisure and housing and sustainability departments.

A late-night levy of bars and clubs in Southampton was also approved by councillors at last night’s meeting.

Nightspots operating past midnight in the city will be charged a fee of between £299 and £4,400 towards the cost of policing the city’s night-time economy.

The levy is expected to raise £240,000 a year which will be split between the police and Southampton City Council.

But a number of city businesses have opposed the scheme which comes into effect on April 1, claiming it is another tax that could damage their businesses.