Agenda item

Cabinet is asked to note that the Service Director for Transport and Engineering has used delegated authority to indicate to the Department for Transport (DfT) that the Council intends to enter into a statutory Enhanced Partnership (EP) with the local bus service operators from 1 April 2022. Local Transport Authorities and bus operators were asked to commit to forming an EP by 30 June 2021 with the EP being operational from 1 April 2022.

This report also seeks Cabinet approval to formally enter into the EP with the BCP local bus service operators under the Bus Services Act 2017 and in line with the National Bus Strategy for England.

Failure to form an EP will result in no new sources of bus funding from the government’s £3bn budget and cessation of the COVID-19 Bus Service Support Grant (CBSSG).

Robust and ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plans are required by 31 October 2021 setting out a roadmap to better services for passengers and communities, fully informed by local needs.

RESOLVED that: - 

(a)          Cabinet supports the formation of an Enhanced Partnership with the bus operators as a replacement to the existing voluntary Quality Bus Partnership.

(b)         Cabinet delegates authority to the Service Director for Transport and Engineering in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability to negotiate, seek stakeholder views and then publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) on behalf of the Council by the end of October 2021 in line with the requirements of the National Bus Strategy for England.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Transport and Sustainability

Reason

The recently published National Bus Strategy for England sets out an ambition for every local transport authority and bus operator in England to be in a statutory Enhanced Partnership or a franchising arrangement (entering into an EP does not preclude franchising in the future, however, achieving franchising is lengthy and complex with significant financial risk).

Improving bus services to attract more passengers is a joint aim of the bus operators and the Local Transport Authority (LTA).

An Enhanced Partnership will build on the good work undertaken through the voluntary Quality Bus Partnership over the last two decades.

Not entering into an Enhanced Partnership will result in a significant financial funding loss for the council and for the bus operators.

The Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was requested to note that the Service Director for Transport and Engineering has used delegated authority to indicate to the Department for Transport (DfT) that the Council intends to enter into a statutory Enhanced Partnership (EP) with the local bus service operators from 1 April 2022. In relation to this Cabinet was informed that Local Transport Authorities and bus operators were asked to commit to forming an EP by 30 June 2021 with the EP being operational from 1 April 2022.

In addition Cabinet was advised that the report also sought Cabinet approval to formally enter into the EP with the BCP local bus service operators under the Bus Services Act 2017 and in line with the National Bus Strategy for England, and that failure to form an EP will result in no new sources of bus funding from the government’s £3bn budget and cessation of the COVID-19 Bus Service Support Grant (CBSSG).

Further to this Cabinet was informed that robust and ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plans are required by 31 October 2021 setting out a roadmap to better services for passengers and communities, fully informed by local needs.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet advising that at their recent meeting the Board had resolved to make the following recommendation to the Cabinet.

The Overview and Scrutiny Board recommends that Cabinet consider the additional wording to recommendation (b) to read as follows:

(b)            Cabinet delegates authority to the Service Director for Transport and Engineering in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability to negotiate, seek stakeholder views and then publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to include a balanced review of the benefits of moving to a Franchising model within the next 5 years, with especial regard to the Dorset Metro concept, multimodal integration, and the development of Mobility as a service (MAAS) on behalf of the Council by the end of October 2021 in line with the requirements of the National Bus Strategy for England.

Plus, the addition of a third recommendation, to read as follows:

(c)           “that the evolving Bus Service Improvement Plan, including longer term ambitions, comes back to Cabinet for approval, especially with a view to bidding via the Western Gateway for funding of wider public transport ambitions.”

Councillor Hadley addressed the Cabinet advising that he had proposed the above recommendations at the Overview and Scrutiny Board, and further to this expressed concern with regards to the ambition of the strategy and stressed the importance that the enhanced partnership should be a balanced vision and that the users should be prioritised against the providers.

The Portfolio Holder thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Board and Councillor Hadley for their comments and recommendation but advised that due to the time constraints it was not possible to bring the report back to Cabinet and that therefore delegated authority would be required, and that the recommendations from the Board would not be taken forward. 

RESOLVED that: - 

(a)          Cabinet supports the formation of an Enhanced Partnership with the bus operators as a replacement to the existing voluntary Quality Bus Partnership.

(b)         Cabinet delegates authority to the Service Director for Transport and Engineering in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability to negotiate, seek stakeholder views and then publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) on behalf of the Council by the end of October 2021 in line with the requirements of the National Bus Strategy for England.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Transport and Sustainability