Issue - meetings

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to seek approval for the award of contracts for supported bus services.

Recommendations

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for Transport:

1.    Approves the award of the contracts (that is to approve funding for the 12, 13, 14, 18, 22 and 25 bus services from 3^rd September 2023 to 5^th September 2026) as detailed in section 9 of this report; and

2.    Agrees to the award of the contracts (as set out in Exempt Appendix C) and delegates authority to the Assistant Director of Transport in consultation with Cabinet Member for Transport and Section 151 Officer, to finalise the required contracts;

3.    Notes that the Cabinet Member for Transport and Opposition Spokespersons will be consulted on any proposed future changes.

Simon Bell, Principal Public Transport Officer presented his report and advised the purpose of the report was to seek approval for the award of contracts for supported bus services and referred to the recommendations.

Cllr Darren Sanders made a deputation in favour of this item.  Deputations are not minuted but can be viewed here:

Agenda for Cabinet Member for Transport on Friday, 7th July, 2023, 10.00 am Portsmouth City Council

Members' questions

In response to Members' questions, officers clarified:

·         Service 22 had been supported by the council for many years and previously as service 24.  Service 12 was picked up by the council pre-Covid. The pandemic had a big impact on some of the less frequent services and service 25 was introduced to cover other services (15,16 & 6) which were merged into one.  The ridership is increasing but the way residents travel, work and shop has an impact and numbers have not returned sufficiently for the operators to run them commercially.

·         The contract has a 3-month clause to terminate if required or to make revisions.  If the Council does not step in and support these essential services, they would no longer operate

Members' comments

The chair stated it was really important to maintain a good bus service across the city and it was the right thing to do to support these services.

Members considered that decisions should be made on a whole city basis rather than on individual routes as bus companies are making money on other routes and not using the surplus profits to subsidise the less profitable routes.  Good reliable services are essential so they were in support of the report.

The meeting moved into closed session at 10:42 to discuss the exempt appendix C.

The meeting recommenced in public session at 10:52.

The Chair noted there is no money in the Council budget specifically for supporting bus services so it is funded from underspends elsewhere in the transport portfolio.    The Chair approved the recommendations in the report.

Decision

The Cabinet Member:

1.    Approved the award of the contracts (approved funding for the 12, 13, 14, 18, 22 and 25 bus services from 3^rd September 2023 to 5^th September 2026) as detailed in section 9 of the report;

2.    Agreed to the award of contracts (as set out in Exempt Appendix C) and delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Transport in consultation with Cabinet Member for Transport and Section 151 Officer, to finalise the required contracts;

3.    Noted that the Cabinet Member for Transport and opposition spokespersons will be consulted on any proposed future changes.