I have doubts over the wisdom of franchising (= 100% council control) because:

• We had it for decades until the 1980s at a time when public transport was in decline and private transport in the ascendancy.  Dreadful things happened with public transport during that time!!
• We already have the professional partnership between the officers at 16 Summer Lane and the bus companies.
• The Bus Partnership fixes fares and routes, anyway.  So nothing gained from franchising.
• Council control destroyed the total tram network and a very large part of Brum's/Black Country railway network.
• All 7 councils and cllrs leave public transport to 16 Summer Lane.  Little interest is shown by cllrs.  2 cllrs told me to contact TfWM.  
• Tens of millions for franchising that could go into FFPT.
• Hundreds of millions from the 7 councils and cllrs for Metro should be going into FFPT and raising the status of buses at the expense of the dreadful road clogging car commuters.
• Use the franchising and Metro extension money for bribing car commuters onto buses, trains, trams in the 6 hour rush hour every weekday.
• My two year Hagley Road experiment suggestion is better!
• Franchising is the theory.  The Bus Partnership is the working reality that franchising cannot possibly improve upon.
• Let individual cllrs and officers become shareholders in the bus companies and even the TfWM, itself.  MAKE MONEY from the dividends in being shareholders!