Issue - meetings

The Corporate Director of Economy & Place to present a report which details the outcome of a competitive tender exercise undertaken to secure operators for the provision of socially necessary local bus services in the York area, and seeks approval to award the tenders, except where commercial offers have been made or further negotiations are recommended.

Resolved:  (i)      That the content of the report be noted.

(ii)      That the award of contracts to the winning bidder in respect of routes 11, 14, 19, 20, 21, 24/25/26 and 26 (evening) be approved.

(iii)     That the award of a contract for route 10 (evening) be declined, on the understanding that this will be operated commercially at no cost to the council.

(iv)    That the award of a contract for route 15 (currently part of route 12) be delayed until further negotiations have taken place with the operators.

(v)     That authority to make the final decision on route 15 (currently part of route 12) be delegated to the Assistant Director of Transport, Highways and the Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport.

(vi)    That the additional costs of the tender exercise, to be funded from additional resources identified in the budget amendment agreed by Council on 17 July 2019, be noted.

Reason:     To ensure that all residents retain access to a similar level of bus services as are currently available to them, at the best possible value to the council.

The Assistant Director of Transport, Highways & Environment presented a report which detailed the outcome of a competitive tender exercise undertaken to secure operators for the provision of socially necessary local bus services in the York area and made recommendations on awarding the tenders.

The services partially funded by the council and operated under contract were summarised in Table 1 at paragraph 9 of the report and detailed in Annex A, along with their costs.  Those services due to expire at the end of August 2019 had been re-tendered on a ‘like for like’ basis, in line with the decision of Executive on 17 January 2019 (Minute 93 of that meeting refers).  Approval was sought to award all the tenders except for:

·        evening service 10, as an offer had been received to operate this service commercially, at no cost to the council and

·        service 15, on which further discussion with the operators was recommended due to the complex nature of the bids received.

The cost of re-provision would require a budget increase of £29,937 in the current year and £55,278 per year from 2020/1.

In response to Members’ questions, officers confirmed that the performance measures referred to in paragraph 9 of the report could be reviewed at a future Decision Session of the Executive Member for Transport if necessary.

Resolved:  (i)      That the content of the report be noted.

(ii)      That the award of contracts to the winning bidder in respect of routes 11, 14, 19, 20, 21, 24/25/26 and 26 (evening) be approved.

(iii)     That the award of a contract for route 10 (evening) be declined, on the understanding that this will be operated commercially at no cost to the council.

(iv)    That the award of a contract for route 15 (currently part of route 12) be delayed until further negotiations have taken place with the operators.

(v)     That authority to make the final decision on route 15 (currently part of route 12) be delegated to the Assistant Director of Transport, Highways and the Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport.

(vi)    That the additional costs of the tender exercise, to be funded from additional resources identified in the budget amendment agreed by Council on 17 July 2019, be noted.

Reason:     To ensure that all residents retain access to a similar level of bus services as are currently available to them, at the best possible value to the council.