ReadiBus welcomes removal of West Berkshire Council’s ‘gagging clause’

TRUSTEES of the ReadiBus service have welcomed the removal of a controversial “gagging clause” from funding agreements.

In 2021 funding for the service was withheld by West Berkshire Council when ReadiBus trustees refused to sign what they saw as a censorship clause.

The controversial contract clause stated: "The charity shall not, and shall take reasonable steps to ensure that staff shall not, make any press announcement or publicise the agreement or any part of the agreement in any way, except with the prior written consent of the council."

The council denied this amounted to censorship.

Meanwhile the the UK’s leading publication for the charity and voluntary sector, Third Sector, drew attention to West Berkshire Council’s actions at the time.

The Third Sector article suggested that “on a point of principle, charities ought to reject donations that compromise how they could discuss or frame the cause they serve”.

At a meeting of the executive committee on Thursday, July 6, under the new, Liberal Democrat-led regime, it was agreed to remove the controversial clause.

ReadiBus trustees said later in a statement: “We commend the moves by West Berkshire Council to rectify the wrongs of recent years in its treatment of ReadiBus and the elderly and disabled West Berkshire residents for whom this service has been so valued for nearly 40 years.

“The decision by the council to remove the requirement for ReadiBus to sign a ‘gagging clause’ in order to receive future approved grant funding from the council is a welcome first step.”

ReadiBus is one of 14 community transport operators active in West Berkshire.

The current level of grant funding for community transport operators is approximately £55,000.

This is divided among the various community transport groups using a formula-based approach linked to the number of passenger journeys in the previous financial year.

The council has approved funding for this to continue in 2023/24

In recent years community transport operators have been asked to sign a service level agreement if they are in receipt of grant funding in excess of £5,000.

In the 2019/20 financial year West Berkshire Council reduced its revenue grant funding for community transport operators from £90,790 in the previous year to £55,280, a reduction of 39 per cent.

This was approved at full council in March 2019.

“The level of revenue funding, supplemented by capital grants, is appropriate to the level of service needed and provided by the community transport sector,” said the council.

“The amendment of the standard SLA to delete the confidentiality clause, should remove the objection that ReadiBus had to the terms of the agreement.

"This will enable ReadiBus to receive future grant funding in accordance with the council’s formula-based approach.”