39.
MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 28 July 2004 be confirmed.
40.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Interests were declared in the following matters:
Mrs T M Butchers declared a personal and prejudicial
interest in Minute 42 Procurement of Subsidised Bus Services 2004-6 - in
relation to Southern Vectis and left the room for the duration of the
discussion and vote
41.
MEMBERS
QUESTION TIME
This agenda item was taken in two parts.
The Chairman asked a question to the Portfolio Holder for Fire,
Emergency Planning and Consumer Protection concerning the Audit Commissions
Fire Service Pay and Conditions Agreement.
The Portfolio Holder confirmed that a measured response to the report
was necessary and an Action Plan had been complied by the Chief Fire Officer
after having met with the Fire Brigades Union.
A further letter from the FBU had been received and would be taken into
account. As the issue was of importance to the whole Council it was not
unreasonable for the Executive to have met informally in order to have an input
into the process. The Select Committee
would be discussing the Action Plan at its forthcoming meeting. The Portfolio Holder reiterated that in
order for the implementation of the modernising agenda to be successful there
needed to be ownership and commitment by members, staff and the brigade. An essential element of this was an
inclusive programme of engagement and consultation at all levels. A meeting would take place between some
members of the Executive, the Brigade Management Team and the relevant unions
to discuss the proposed Action Plan after discussion at the Select Committee
and prior to the Action Plan being discussed with the Audit Commission. When
completed, the Action Plan would be put considered at the Executive for formal
approval.
42.
PROCUREMENT OF SUBSIDIDED BUS SERVICES 2004-6
(During the debate Mrs S A
Smart declared a personal interest as a board member of the RCC)
The Portfolio Holder introduced
his report concerning the letting of a contact for subsidised bus
services. Approximately 20% of the Isle
of Wight bus network was currently dependant upon the provision of subsidy to
ensure its continued operation. The
Portfolio Holder advised that 600,000 journeys per annum were subsidised
services at a cost to the Council of less than £1 per journey, only around 50
pence of which was contributed by the Isle of Wight Council. This compared
favorably to other places in the country. Members were informed that the
Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers had advised that local
authorities would need, on average, a budget increase of 10.8% from April 2004
to retain existing local bus service levels and therefore the Council could not
maintain its current network of subsidised services with an annual inflation
increase at 3%.
The Executive were
advised that two tenders were received from Southern Vectis and Wightbus. Neither
tender was judged to have offered to deliver the specification within available
budget and therefore negotiations were entered into with both parties to
determine the best network which could be delivered from the available
resources.
Key considerations were
price, maximising network coverage against the tendered specification,
availability of cross ticketing arrangements (particularly rover tickets) and
access to bus stations.
The
Portfolio Holder outlined the underlying principles
defining the contract and confirmed that as well as resulting in the
provision of a broadly equivalent network, the new arrangements would see a
significant sub-contract (approximately 35% of all non-commercial services)
awarded by Southern Vectis to Wightbus which would result in a significant
Wightbus presence in the provision of local bus services in the evening and at
weekends. He explained that the
proposed start date of the contract was 31 October 2004 although the current
contractor had indicated it’s willingness to extend the existing contract from
2 October to 31 October.
The Executive were
advised that the tender price for the year commencing 31 October 2004 exceeded
the budget for 2004-05 by approximately £21,000. For the following year it
would exceed the budget by £43,000, assuming that the 3% inflation uplift
anticipated within the contract was matched by the Council in setting the
2005-06 budget. The Portfolio Holder
proposed to meet the shortfall in each year by ring-fencing car parking income resulting
from the recent Car Parking Order.
Members
also discussed the possibly of introducing half fare tickets for 14-16 year
olds to be used after school for both services. However the Portfolio Holder advised there would be financial
implications for the Council arising from this.
RESOLVED :
(i)
THAT up to £50,000 be
ring fenced from income generated from car parking charges to increase the
budget available for subsidised bus services
(ii)
THAT the Head of Engineering Services and the Chief
Financial Officer be delegated, in consultation with the Portfolio Holders for
Transport and Resources the authority to enter into a contract with Southern
Vectis which to ensure best value delivery of:
·
A 2 year contract to from 3 October 2004 to 30
September 2006
·
A four week period at the commencement of the contract
on 3 October, during which the existing network will be provided, to allow
operational mobilisation by the contractor and sub contractor to meet the
substantive terms of the new contract
·
Preservation of a network equivalent to that to that
currently provided, (subject to operational changes)
·
Utilisation of Southern Vectis bus stations for all
subsidised services which require their use
·
Cross ticketing – rover tickets accepted on all
contracted services.
·
Utilisation of Wightbus as a subcontractor
Within:
·
The budget available in 2004-05, including ring fenced
additional resources
·
Projected budget allocation for 2005-2006 and
2006-2007
43. A PROGRAMME OF ACTION – EU EXPANSION AND COHESION POST 2006
The
Portfolio Holder introduced his report which summarised the objectives
of the Lisbon Strategy, current proposals for the way in which European Funding
would operate post 2006 to work towards the Lisbon agenda and the
actions that the Council had taken to maximise any potential benefits for the
Island. The Portfolio Holder also
advised the Executive on immediate actions
that were proposed and indicated that a further report setting out some
objectives together with a programme of action for the next 12 months would be
put before the Executive in October. A
number of questions were asked particularly relating to the objectives
contained in the third cohesion report on economic and social cohesion.
RESOLVED :
(i)
THAT the
information set out in the report be noted
(ii)
THAT the
immediate programme of action be endorsed
(iii)
THAT a
further report in October 2004 proposing objectives to be pursued in the lead
in to 2006 be received and a 12 month
programme of action be agreed
44.
CHANGES
TO THE CURRENT FORWARD PLAN
The Portfolio Holder for Transport advised that he would be bringing a
report on Community Rail Partnership to the Executive in September. The Annual
Report on Complaints would also be considered by the Executive in
September. A report on Education
Provision and the 14-19 Review Process would now be considered at the first
Executive meeting in October
45.
MEMBERS’
QUESTION TIME
Mr P Joyce asked a verbal question in relation to Inver House. A written response would be provided.
Mr A Sutton asked a verbal question in relation to the disposal of
Asbestos. The Portfolio Holder for
Sustainable Development, Environment and Planning Policy replied accordingly.
Mr R Barry asked a question relating to cycle racks at County
Hall. An appropriate response was
given.
CHAIRMAN