Agenda item

A report was presented to provide the Audit and Standards Committee with an update on the 7-point plan that was agreed by the MCA in response to the Bus Review.

Members noted that progress had still been made despite the challenging context and over the last 12 months.  Work had also continued to implement the 7-point plan.  The MCA remained committed to improving the bus system in South Yorkshire and have invested c.£17m over the last 12 months to support operators as well as allocating c.£7m for the future protection of priority services. 

Paragraph 2.2 of the report provided Members with further details on the progress which had been made over the last 12 months. 

Looking ahead, the anticipated National Bus Strategy from Government would be critical to informing the MCA’s future bus recovery and improvement strategy. 

The Committee noted that, possible Government Bus Recovery funding (which would follow the current emergency support grant) may require the MCA’s commitment to explore statutory changes to the bus operating model.  A paper was currently being prepared to obtain the MCA’s views.

Members noted that the Mayor had recently announced an extension of the current Young Persons discounted travel arrangements for a 12 month period to help young people who had been impacted the most by the Covid pandemic. 

To deliver the MCA’s ambitious programme of work and respond to any work arising as a result of the National Bus Strategy, paragraph 2.4 of the report provided further details on the additional resources which had been implemented.  A meeting was scheduled with the Mayor during week commencing 22^nd March 2021, to discuss the National Bus Strategy. 

Members noted that all significant risks concerning finance, pandemic response and changes to regulatory environment were captured and monitored in the strategic risk register.  Further details were presented within paragraph 3.3 of the report. 

Appendix A to the report provided Members with a detailed progress update on the MCA’s response to the Bus Review. 

In response to Councillor Auckland’s questions around Enhanced Partnerships or Franchising routes, S Edwards said that the Bus Strategy asked for a commitment to pursue one, or both Statutory options by 1^st July.  As region, there would need to be a commitment around one, or two Statutory options to continue to receive Government support.

Councillor Auckland asked if officers were confident they had the correct resources available to deliver the MCA’s ambitious programme of work and respond to any work arising as a result of the National Bus Strategy. 

S Edwards replied that the total amount of resource required was currently being assessed.  A Programme Director had been appointed and was currently examining the amount of resource required to deliver the 7-point plan and work arsing as a result of the National Bus Strategy. 

It was confirmed that provisions had been earmarked in the budget to cover work in this area.  In addition, officers had been working with the DfT to obtain £100k of Additional Capacity Funding, which had been made available to Local Transport Authorities. 

In relation to the timescales for implementing an Enhanced Partnership, Members were informed that the Bus Strategy was looking for an Enhanced Partnership to be implemented within 12 months, (by June 2022).  There would be a challenge to use existing expertise and back-fil the resources. 

Councillor Auckland asked if the risk management framework would be reported to this Committee in future. 

S Edwards said that the risk management framework was currently being developed and could be reported back to the Committee. 

R Adams highlighted that the risks set out within the report were contained within the MCA’s strategic risk register. 

R Jarvis asked if there was an option for local authorities to run the local bus network. 

In response, S Edwards said that, currently, local authorities were prevented from creating a municipal bus company.  However, this did not prevent them from taking over an existing bus company, if deemed to be appropriate. 

R Jarvis requested that health and safety be added to the risk register due to the merger of SYPTE into the MCA. 

R Adams said that all health and safety obligations currently rested with the bus operators.  It was confirmed that work would need to be undertaken to explore with the Monitoring Officer, what, if any, the obligations are over and above those of the bus operators. 

Councillor Jones asked that the Committee be kept updated on progress at future meetings and included within the Committee’s forward work programme.  ACTION: C James.

RESOLVED – That the Audit and Standards Committee noted and commented on the report.