Here is what was passed at the council meeting on 11 May.

This is taken from the official minutes:

“This Council is asked to approve that a Di Minimus contract for the 60 and 61 route, not exceeding £60,000 in total, is negotiated with the current operator, Local Link.

The negotiation will [be] led by the Executive Lead for Transport, Housing and Planning and Councillor Doggett, together with the Assistant Director for Community and Customer Services.

The amount negotiated will be allocated from the 2016/2017 Revenue Budget Contingency to fund the procurement and subsidised service for the retention of the 60 and 61 bus routes and provide a sustainable and suitable service for 1 year, on the  understanding that it must be commercially viable by the end of the period, or the Di Minimus contract subsidy will cease.

That the Council will develop a user group for bus users in Torbay and will hold regular meetings with bus operators to assist in the future of transport provision in Torbay.”

A Di Minimus contract enables a Local Authority to subsidise a route with the current operator without the need to go through a lengthy tendering process.

The contract is still in the process of being drawn up and councillors will be meeting with Local Link in the near future to finalise the deal.

We have yet to identify the start date of the one year period mentioned, but it’s probably safe to assume it to be on or after 6 April 2016 (beginning of financial year).

We will post more information when it becomes available.