Decision details

24/00123 - Kent BSIP & BSOG Funding: 2025/26

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

Proposed decision

 

(i)    To ACCEPT Kent’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and Local Authority Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) Government funding allocations for financial year 2025/26. This consists of £10,120,289 Revenue and £11,926,302 Capital BSIP and £1,087,788 BSOG funding

 

(ii)  To DELEGATE authority to the Council’s Corporate Director of Growth Environment & Transport, and the Section 151 Officer to formally accept this funding and related terms and conditions through the completion and return of anticipated formal award documentation from Government.

 

(iii)To DELEGATE authority to the Council’s Corporate Director of Growth Environment & Transport, and the Section 151 Officer to agree and submit Kent’s Delivery Plan in response to the funding offer, working to the principles of Value for Money (VfM) and alignment with Kent’s established 2024 BSIP.

 

·     Reason for the decision

 

-      To accept the funding, KCC will need to enter into a formal legal agreement with Department for Transport.

 

·     Background

 

In March 2021, Kent County Council (KCC) worked in conjunction with the county’s bus operators to submit a Kent Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to Government. This original BSIP was written in response to the National Bus Strategy (NBS), which set out an ambitious vision for the recovery and subsequent growth of the bus industry across England.

 

Under Phase 1 of the NBS process (period up to March 2025) KCC was allocated £35.1m to deliver some of the interventions within its BSIP. An initiative programme has subsequently been rolled out utilising this funding which was received in two tranches. See Decision - 23/00027 - BSIP Tranche One for 23/24 funding / programme and Decision - 23/00104 - BSIP Tranche Two for 24/25 funding / programme.   In addition to BSIP funding, KCC also receives BSIP+ funding which is also linked to BSIPs and the acceptance of associated conditions attached to both funding awards.  The combination ofBSIP and BSIP+ revenue funding ensures that KCC can protect over 50 services that were withdrawn by operators since 2021.  

 

           In January 2024, Government set out new BSIP guidance for all Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) requiring the updating of BSIPs. Following Decision - 24/00038 - Kent's 2024 Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), KCC submitted its 2024 BSIP to Government in June 2024, meeting all deadlines. The 2024 BSIP updated on progress made since Kent’s original submission and set out an ambitious initiative programme for the period 2025-29, which could be delivered in the event of further significant and long term external funding for bus.

 

          On 17th November 2024, Government announced that Kent was to be allocated £23,134,379 bus funding for 25/26. This consists of £10,120,289 Revenue and £11,926,302 Capital BSIP and £1,087,788 BSOG funding. The funding will not deliver the full aspirations of Kent’s BSIP but can bring significant benefits to the bus offer in Kent.

          

Options (other options considered but discarded)

 

To forego the funding award. This is rejected as the funding represents a significant investment into Kent’s bus offer. 

 

How the proposed decision supports Framing Kent’s Future 2022-2026: (https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/corporate-policies/our-council-strategy)

 

The decision supports Priority 2: Infrastructure for communities and the specific commitment to work with our partners through the Kent Enhanced Bus Partnership and with Government to explore sustainable and commercially viable options for providing bus transport to meet people’s needs, making the best use of Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.

 

How the proposed decision supports: Securing Kent’s Future:democracy.kent.gov.uk/documents/s121235/Securing Kents Future - Budget Recovery Strategy.pdf

 

The decision does not place any additional financial burden on KCC as initiatives would be delivered with external funding.

 

Decision:

As Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport I agree to:

 

i)               ACCEPT Kent’s BSIP and BSOG Government funding allocations for financial year 2025/26. This consists of £10,120,289 Revenue and £11,926,302 Capital BSIP and £1,087,788 BSOG funding

 

(ii)       DELEGATE authority to the Council’s Corporate Director of Growth Environment & Transport, and the Section 151 Officer to formally accept this funding and related terms and conditions through the completion and return of anticipated formal award documentation from Government.

 

(iii)      DELEGATE authority to the Council’s Corporate Director of Growth Environment & Transport, and the Section 151 Officer to agree and submit Kent’s Delivery Plan in response to the funding offer, working to the principles of Value for Money (VfM) and consistent with the principles and potential initiatives in Kent’s 2024 BSIP.

 

(iv)      DELEGATE to the Corporate Director of Growth Environment & Transport to take necessary actions including but not limited to entering into relevant contracts, or other legal agreements to implement this decision as shown at Appendix A

 

Publication date: 23/01/2025

Date of decision: 23/01/2025

Effective from: 31/01/2025

Accompanying Documents: