Agenda item

(1)       KCC was currently administering significant enhancements to bus services to the new Tunbridge Wells hospital in Pembury on behalf of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.  It was a short term provision awaiting the resolution of planning issues (Tunbridge Wells Borough Council) related to the site.  Members were asked to consider KCCs long term involvement in the provision of bus services for the hospital. The report presented a number of options for Members to consider.

(2)       The new Tunbridge Wells hospital opened on 21 September 2011 in Pembury.  The hospital, which was delivered by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (the NHS Trust), had replaced the Kent and Sussex hospital in Tunbridge Wells town centre and services had been transferred from Maidstone Hospital to the new site.  The new Tunbridge Wells hospital was in an out of town location and had limited access by modes other than the private car.  When planning consent for the hospital was given Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) and KCC ensured that the NHS Trust were obligated to provide significant enhancements to the local public transport network.  However, after consent was granted, and the cost of the bus services became clear, the NHS Trust did not consider the specified improvements to be affordable. They therefore approached TWBC and KCC to investigate the feasibility of altering their obligations with regards to bus services.

(3)       When it became apparent that the situation would not be resolved until early in 2012, the NHS approached KCC to seek help in providing an interim solution, to provide a local network of bus services to provide sustainable access to the hospital.  Following the completion of a contractual agreement between KCC and the NHS Trust, KCC secured the provision of the high frequency services, acting as agents on behalf of the Trust.  All costs were being met by the NHS Trust and the services commenced operation on 13 November 2011 for a fixed six month period.  The services would operate until 13th May 2012.  Before this date arrangements needed to be made to provide sufficient sustainable access to the new Tunbridge Wells hospital in the long term.  This was legally an issue for the NHS Trust and TWBC to resolve, although KCC as the Local Transport Authority were a key stakeholder.

(4)               There were various models which could be employed to resolve the long term service provision, with varying levels of involvement for KCC:-

• KCC became party to a Section 106 agreement, whereby NHS Trust provided fixed amount of funding and KCC provided services. NB. Service level partly reliant on revenue generation.
• KCC became party to a Section 106 agreement, whereby KCC provided services but the NHS Trust underwrites risk of services not meeting required levels of revenue generation. NB. Service level guaranteed
• KCC act as agents/contractors in providing services on behalf of the NHS.
• KCC had no direct involvement

It was noted that the ultimate resolution would require agreement from both the NHS Trust and TWBC and that any position that KCC decided to adopt might not be acceptable to other parties, and vice versa.

(5)               Mrs Hohler proposed that option 2 should be employed with an additional clause that, before any agreement was entered into, KCC and other consultees confirm that there was a sustainable, viable and satisfactory provision included for residents of Hadlow, West Malling and Borough Green being provided for.

(6)       Mr Robertson proposed that the option should include “subject to further consideration to fulfilling, as far as possible, that those planning conditions related to the rural areas”.

(7)               Mr Manning proposed that the option should include “KCC enter into negotiations”.

(8)       RESOLVED that:-                                                                            

                              (a) Members note the background to the provision of bus services to the new Tunbridge Wells hospital; and

                              (b) KCC immediately enter into negotiations to become party to the Section 106 agreement, whereby the NHS Trust funds the bus services and underwrites those not meeting the required levels of revenue.  These services will seek to provide access to those communities as covered by Condition 29 of the planning consent.