Decision details

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has commenced public consultation on their Bus Reform proposals.

Consultation with the Local Authorities is a Statutory requirement.

Approve the response contained in the Executive Board Report.

The West Yorkshire Mayor will make a decision on what form of Bus Reform will occur in 2024.

The Director of City Development submitted a report presenting the proposed Leeds City Council formal response to the statutory consultation being undertaken by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) on their Bus Reform proposals. The report also provided a response to the White Paper Motion resolution of Full Council of 15 November 2023.

By way of introduction, the Executive Member highlighted that the submitted report provided the Council’s formal response to the consultation exercise and in doing so provided formal support for the franchising proposals outlined.

The Board discussed the options which had been put forward for consultation. In doing so, a Member raised a number of concerns in relation to the franchising proposals submitted and confirmed that in their opinion the ‘Enhanced Partnership Plus’ model was the pragmatic approach to take. In response, the Board received further detail on the reasons why it was being proposed that the Council provided its formal support for the franchising option.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the submitted report, as requested by Full Council on 15^th November 2023, be noted, and that the response as set out in the draft letter (Appendix A to the submitted report) and the detailed response to the Questionnaire (Appendix B), be endorsed;

(b)  That the process going forward, as outlined in the submitted report, be endorsed, and that the Mayor be supported in the final decision;

(c)  That approval be given for the decisions from the submitted report to be exempted from Call In, pursuant to paragraph 5.1.3, Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution, on grounds of urgency, as referenced in full at paragraphs 25 – 27 of the submitted report.

(The Council’s Executive and Decision Making Procedure Rules state that a decision may be declared as being exempt from the Call In process by the decision taker if it is considered that the matter is urgent and any delay would seriously prejudice the Council’s, or the public’s interests. In line with this, the resolutions contained within this minute were exempted from the Call In process, as per resolution (c) above, and for the reasons as set out within sections 25 - 27 of the submitted report)

(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillor Lamb required it to be recorded that he voted against the decisions referred to within this minute)

Briefings with the Executive Member for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure and all Ward Members.

WYCA are undertaking an extensive West Yorkshire wide consultation. Further details are available HERE