The Leader read out and proposed the motion as set out on the Agenda

Councillor Alan Horton raised a point of order that a decision had not yet been made by KCC to cut subsidies and the motion as set out was factually incorrect.  He proposed an alteration that the word ‘anticipated’ be added in the first line of the motion to read ‘This Council believe that the anticipated decision by KCC to cut……’.

In the discussion that followed a member, who was also a KCC member, said that the decision for withdrawal of subsidies to buses in Swale was still being reviewed, but had been decided in some other boroughs. He also drew attention to the penultimate paragraph and said that the word ‘cancel’ did not apply to a decision not yet made.  In addition to adding the word anticipated to the first line, the Leader and the proposed seconder of the original motion accepted a minor alteration to replace the word ‘cancel’ with ‘reconsider’.

The Leader concluded proposing the motion by highlighting the impacts the anticipated decision would have on residents, particularly those that might not be able to meet friends or attend medical appointments.  He said it would be an attack on the young, old and vulnerable and he urged KCC to re-think their anticipated decision and to continue with their bus subsidies.

In seconding the motion, Councillor Tim Valentine reserved his right to speak.

The Mayor invited members to speak. Points raised during the debate included:

·         Full support for the motion;

·         would negate all the work carried out on Active Travel;

·         bus services had already ceased in some parts of the borough;

·         was the Leader and/or officers aware that Stagecoach buses might be able to extend services in Swale if there was a depot and suggested a discussion with Stagecoach was worthwhile?;

·         questioned whether SBC should be telling KCC to spend money on a non-statutory service in difficult financial times for all;

·         KCC were not cutting bus services but subsidies to bus companies who were cutting some bus services as they were not commercially viable;

·         should encourage more people to use buses;

·         98% of bus services were not subsidised and there were other ways members could help;

·         should express our view, as Swale’s KCC members do on our behalf,  but not necessarily tell another authority how to do its business;

·         supportive of Active Travel but questioned whether buses were the best way of moving people around the Borough;

·         tampering with bus services caused commercial bus services to collapse;

·         KCC were not open to exploring options;

·         gave examples round the UK that provided good bus services to their residents;

·         gave possible explanations why buses were no longer viable such as reduced morning and late services so not viable to workers;

·         needed to look at the bus service overall but this was a starting point;

·         sympathetic to motion but could not support as KCC also had to find budget savings and were making difficult choices;

·         investment needed to be higher up the chain than KCC, a new approach to public transport from Government was needed;

·         the motion was a first step, a total rethink was needed;

·         a car culture had jammed the country and the public needed a good way of getting around; and

·         train and cycling were alternatives in some parts of the Borough but many areas relied on buses.

Councillor Tim Valentine, who had seconded the motion, compared the carbon figures for car drivers against using the bus.  He said that Government did not fund the bus services properly and everyone needed to work together for Government to fund bus services properly. Councillor Valentine said that buses should be a big part of how people travelled in the future and that making a profit should not be the priority.

In summing up, the Leader said the motion sought to ask KCC to re-consider, not to tell them how to spend their budget which had been agreed in February 2022.  He said that Councils regularly spoke to each other about the impact of decisions on residents.

In accordance with procedure rule 3.1.19 (2), recorded vote was taken and voting was as follows:

For: Baldock, Bonney, S Clark, Darby, Davey, Eakin, Gibson, Gould, A Hampshire, N Hampshire, Harrison, Henderson, Horton, Hunt, Jackson, Jayes, Marchington, B J Martin, McCall, Neal, Nissanga, Palmer, Perkin, Pugh, Rowles, Saunders, Simmons, P Stephen, S Stephen, Tatton, Thomas, Truelove, Valentine, Whiting, Winckless and Woodford.  Total equals 36

Against: Total equals 0

Abstain: Beart, R Clark, Dendor, Ingleton. Total equals 4.

Resolved:

(1)  That it be noted that this Council believes that the anticipated decision by KCC to cut bus subsidies is a seriously retrograde step that will have a hugely negative impact on many people in our communities for the following reasons:

(i)           It goes against policies supported by both KCC and this Council to improve the use and accessibility of public transport.

(ii)          It unfairly impacts the elderly, the disabled, young people those who are unable to afford their own private transport.

(iii)        It will increase rural isolation and the impact of loneliness on vulnerable people.

(iv)        It undermines the local plan review which, to meet the Government housing target, will need to see a significant shift from journeys being made by private motor car towards greater use of public transport and active travel.

(v)          It is contrary to Kent County Council and Swale Borough Council policies to achieve net zero carbon emissions.

(2)  For these reasons we call on the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at KCC to cancel this anticipated withdrawal of bus subsidies with urgent effect.

(3)  Furthermore, we call on the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at KCC to instigate a review of how bus services can be made more relevant to people’s daily travel requirements, more accessible and more affordable to increase use of bus services in line with the policies cited above.