Advantage Card could be used to pay for buses, council services and used as an ID as council looks to upgrade scheme

The Advantage Card could morph into an ‘all-in-one smartcard’ used to pay for council services, transport and be used as proof of identity as the borough considers ways to improve its discount card.

On Tuesday the Royal Borough’s policy committee will discuss a report which explores ways to upgrade The Advantage Card, which currently offers more than 230 perks, including discounted parking and free entry to Windsor Castle.

It says: “To increase the Advantage Card’s functionality further, the council could choose to upgrade it into an ‘all in one’ resident smartcard. As well as offering all its existing discounts, the improved smartcard could use new technologies to provide a range of additional services.”

The report says it could be used as a membership card for clubs, libraries and leisure centres, while points from recycling or leisure incentive schemes could be added to the card. It could collect points which reward people for shopping within the Royal Borough, and be used for cashless payment at participating retailers and borough car parks.

Other ideas include adding smart bus ticketing, and so passengers can use the Advantage Card to pay for bus travel, like London’s Oyster Card.

The report says the card could also be used as a proof of identity, if it was accredited by the national Proof of Age Standards Scheme.

The report recommends asks policy committee to approve the formation of a task and finish group to look into smartcard technologies and propose upgrade options for the Advantage Card.

If that recommendation is approved, an outcomes report is expected to be presented back to policy committee in February 2016.

Policy committee is also due to discuss ways to improve recycling in the borough.

Ideas include reducing the size of wheelie-bins and running raffles to reward recyclers.