(Yesterday, 4:28 pm)BusLoverMum wrote With Sunderland and, any moment now, Gateshead gone turquoise (Gannon is gone) this could get interesting. I can't see the new guard having much time for bringing services back into public management.

South Tyneside will be Reform too, I suspect? Newcastle situation unclear. Only N Tyneside remain Labour ( as it was not an "all out" election there). So seems at least 4 of the 7 councils in NECA now led by Reform, plus 1 Conservative. And next year ethey will hope to take N Tyneside too, on current form.
So I think you are right to speculate that proceeding with franchising may not the foregone conclusion that it has been until now. Could be a real mess, as I don't think it would end the long-term wish for franching that exists in plenty of the political parties (Lab, LD, Green)