West Lancashire Dial-A-Ride celebrates after being awarded quality mark and seeing borough council funding extended

Jan 10 2013 by Rob Pattinson, Ormskirk Advertiser

A VOLUNTARY organisation received a double boost this week – after winning an award and seeing its borough council funding extended for another year.

West Lancs Dial-A-Ride is one of eight organisations whose funding is set to protected at a cabinet meeting later on January 15.

It comes in the same week the organisation revealed it has been awarded the Quality Mark from the Community Transport Association in acknowledgement of the high standard of services provided.

Dial-a-Ride manager Philip Walker said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the Quality Mark. Dial-a-Ride is the first community transport organisation in the UK to receive this accolade.”

The borough council’s funding is set to continue at its current level of £28,575 a year through a one-year service agreement.

But this will be reviewed in the autumn due to uncertainty surrounding Lancashire County Council’s funding of Dial-A-Ride – and the implications that will have on the future of the service.

The majority of the organisation’s funding is channelled from county council coffers, and the authority is to decide whether it will be able to continue that funding beyond the current contract – which runs out in September – in its Community Transport review this April.

Mr Walker said: “We are very pleased the borough council wishes to continue to support us.

We are now waiting to hear what the county council will do and I am in constant dialogue with their officers about the situation.”

Other organisations whose funding from the borough council is set to be protected includes Age UK Lancashire, which receives £12,136 a year and West Lancs CVS which nets £32,779 annually. Relate, Victim Support Lancashire, South and West Lancs Foodbank, West Lancs Disability Helpline and Lancs West Citizens Advice Bureau will also see current levels of funding protected.

Cllr David Westley, portfolio holder for finance, said: “The funding will enable organisations to continue offering support and services to West Lancashire residents.”