Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2012/081

Contact: Jim Daughton, Highways & Transport Service Manager Tel: (01865) 815803

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Commercial & Delivery) (CMDDL6E).

The Deputy Leader considered (CMDDL6E) a review of subsidised bus services in the Chipping Norton and Charlbury areas.

With regard to the Oxford-Chipping Norton-Stratford-upon-Avon service (50/S3) officers advised that they were still waiting for an indication from Stagecoach Warwickshire with regard to the amount of subsidy required to continue to operate a Sunday service from Chipping Norton to Stratford.  It was noted that if that quote proved too expensive then withdrawal of the service was a possibility.  If that proved to be the case the Deputy Leader asked officers to discuss a possible alternative with Stagecoach Oxfordshire to fill the resulting gap in Oxfordshire by extending the S3 to Over Norton on Sundays.  

With regard to Service X9 (Witney-Charlbury-Chipping Norton W45) the Deputy Leader agreed to award Contract PT/W45B to Stagecoach Oxfordshire as set out in Option 2 in the Exempt Annex.   Officers advised, however, that Stagecoach might decline the award of that contract in isolation for operational reasons.

Having regard to the arguments and options set out in the documentation before him, the representations made to him at this meeting and the further considerations set out above the Deputy Leader of the Council confirmed his decisions on this matter as follows:

(a)               agree the subsidy for the services described in the report CMDDL6E on the basis of the tender prices (and the periods of time) as set out in Supplementary Exempt Annex 2 to that report but amended as above with regard to Item K;

(b)              agree that the decisions made in (a) above were urgent in that any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would result in service discontinuity and in accordance with the requirements of Scrutiny Procedure Rule 17(b) those decisions should not be subject to the call in process.

Signed

Deputy Leader of the Council

Date