Minutes:
Mr Hunt CC asked the following questions of the Chairman:
(A) Support for Public Transport
“1. Could the Chairman:
(a)
report
on the success of last year's bid to the £25 million Department for Transport
(DfT) ‘KickStart’ fund for projects involving bus service
improvements, which I understand enabled the launch of the County's
Skylink service?
(b)
tell the
Commission why we have been unable to bid this year either for ‘Kickstart’ or
the £30 million DfT Green Bus Fund from which bus companies and local authorities
in
(c)
comment
on the County's future plans and prospects for joint bids with the bus industry
which continues to benefit from increased patronage stimulated by local
concessionary fares for over 60's and disabled people?”
The Chairman replied as follows:
“1. (a) The Kickstart
process funded extensions to the Loughborough to Derby Airline Shuttle operated
by Kinchbus.
Further funding was provided by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) to
provide a daily hourly service direct between
1. (b) The Kickstart funding
process has changed to place more emphasis towards the operator in terms of
risk. The Green Bus Fund only funds the additional cost of purchasing a lower
emission vehicle. All main operators in Leicestershire (First, Arriva, Kinchbus and Centrebus) were asked whether they intended to apply for
either Kickstart or Green Bus funding but no operator has expressed any
interest except for funding for the Inner Circle service in Leicester. Bus
companies have reported that current bids for Capital Expenditure within their
business plans are not being supported unless
there is a very strong business case because of the current economic situation
where bus passenger numbers paying fares are declining. This is offset by
continuing increases in concessionary pass holder journeys.
1. (c) There
are currently no plans to bid for funds associated with concessionary travel as
the Department for Transport (DfT) has said it will not fund on bus ticketing
equipment which would stimulate the delivery of integrated tickets and/or
smartcards. The DfT is currently undertaking a consultation on suggestions in
‘Developing a strategy for smart and integrated ticketing’ that may provide new
opportunities. Unfortunately, although additional usage has been generated by
concessionary pass holders, the bus industry feels under compensated by the
reimbursement arrangements in place in England. This has been reflected in
Leicestershire by eight appeals against the Leicester and Leicestershire scheme
since the introduction of the English National Travel
Concession Scheme in April 2006.”
Mr Hunt asked the
following supplementary question on the reply to question 1(b):
“Why are
companies not bidding for Green Bus Fund services to serve on the Enderby Park
and Ride Scheme?”
The Chairman replied to the effect that:
The Green Bus fund is a new scheme. When the Authority entered the into the initial contract, alternative fuel bus bids were invited, though at that time technology in this area was not at an advanced stage. Negotiations are currently ongoing with the Department for Transport in order to ascertain whether the Authority can submit a bid for alternative fuel buses to operate from new Park and Ride sites.
(B) The
Capital Programme
“1. What is the total cost to the Authority
of the Leicester and Leicestershire
Integrated Transport Model over each year concerned and what
contributions are made by partners in the project?
2. How much money has the Authority
received from the Growth Point Fund
to date and, on current estimates, how much in total is expected for
each partner in Leicestershire?
3. Is the Authority still intending to
utilise the full £20.7million allocated to the County Hall Office Accommodation Review, as reported in July
2009 and if not, what elements will be removed?
4. What part of that is devoted to
improving toilet facilities for the many invited disabled visitors to the
Council suite?
5. What savings, over which financial
years, is such expenditure estimated to achieve and broadly in what way (eg.
staffing, income, fixed costs etc)?
6. Would the Chair request a report on the
actual works proposed?”
The Chairman replied as follows:
“1. The
total cost of building the Leicester and Leicestershire Integrated Transport
Model (LLITM) is budgeted at £1,718,400.
The projected final cost as of September 2009 is £1,695,664.
In 2008/09, £603,122 was spent.
All came from New Growth Point and none from the County Council. In
2009/10, we plan to spend £981,146.
£150,934 will come from the County Council, the same amount from the
City Council and £679,278 from New Growth Point
In 2010/11, we plan to spend £111,396.
£55,968 will come from the County Council, the same amount from the City
Council and none from New Growth Point.
In summary, the cost of £1,695,664 will be met by a grant of £1,282,400
from New Growth Point, £206,902 from the County Council and the same from the
City Council.
2. The Authority
has received a total of £4,160,000 Growth Point Funding to date.
The funding breakdown for partners is as follows:
Blaby District Council - £118,000
Charnwood Borough Council - £1,043,275
Harborough District
Council - £9,750
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council - £605,000
Melton Borough Council - £81,000
North West Leicestershire District Council - £122,500
Oadby & Wigston Borough Council - £9,750
3.
The Office Strategy has been developed to provide a
greatly improved working environment for staff and visiting public whilst reducing
running costs significantly. The Strategy is based on a clear 'spend to save'
business case and will save the Authority in excess of £1m per annum within
five years after debt payment. Negotiations are currently taking place with
potential contractors to minimise the capital cost of the Office Strategy and
it is likely that the overall cost can be reduced below the £20.7 million
originally estimated.
4.
The new offices will all comply with the latest
regulations in support of disabled staff and visitors but detailed design work has not yet been undertaken.
5.
The business case sets out the savings plan over the
25 year whole life costing of the project. The savings for the first five years
are as follows:
Year 1 - £130K
Year 2 - £534K
Year 3 - £765K
Year 4 - £777K
Year 5 - £995K (all after debt payments)
From Year 6 onwards the savings average around
£1m per annum.
6. The Director of Corporate
Resources will be in a position to provide a high level report on actual works
proposed and indicative costs during January 2010.”
Mr Hunt asked the following
supplementary question on the reply to question 3:
“Can members have further information on plans for
the Office Accommodation Strategy and how the estimated £20.7 million allocated
funding is to be spent?”
The Chairman replied to the effect that:
Subject to further discussion on this matter between the Scrutiny Commissioners, the Commission will consider a report on this matter in February 2010.
Mr Hunt asked the following supplementary question on the reply to question 4:
“County
Hall premises currently have inadequate disabled provision. Why is this not
considered a priority?”
The Chairman replied to the effect that:
The Authority takes disabled provision very
seriously. Though full details of the works as part of the Strategy have yet to
be finalised, it is planned that all toilet facilities that have not been
refurbished in recent years will receive a full refurbishment as part of the
Strategy and suitable facilities will be provided for disabled visitors as part
of this work.
(C) Partnerships
with land and buildings
“1. In view of the current and well reported
difficulties over community and educational facilities in Breedon-on-the-Hill,
could the Chair report on the respective responsibilities in law on management
and tenure of the new Barwell Library and Community Centre and any other
interests?
2. Would the Chair agree that a
progressive review of legal arrangements relating to land and buildings,
involving partnerships with key services such as education and libraries, would
be desirable?”
The Chairman replied as follows:
“1. The difficulties in respect of the
facilities at the Primary School at Breedon-on-the-Hill have arisen out of a
lack of clarity about what rights did or did not arise from the provision of
monies from the community to support the building of community facilities at
the school back in the early 60s when there was no proper documentation or
written agreement at the time.
The arrangements
at the new Barwell Centre are being clearly documented. The building belongs to
the County Council, and a local community group will be entering into a 25 year
lease with the County Council at a peppercorn rent under which they will be
responsible for overall control of the whole building, subject to an
arrangement whereby the part of the building forming the Library and ICT Suite
will be managed by the Libraries Service.