Local authorities have been involved throughout the policy development. They are represented on both the Concessionary Travel Working Group (CFWG), which requested that the Department revisited the existing order, and the sub-group which was established to examine the issue in detail and develop proposals for change.
There was a public consultation on the proposals, to which 66 local authorities responded with the clear majority in favour of the proposals. Both the CFWG and the sub-group also had the opportunity to comment on the draft order before it was laid before Parliament.