Shopmobility lends wheelchairs and scooters to people with mobility problems when they are visiting the city centre, from its two offices at Grafton East and Grand Arcade car parks.
In its 2015/16 Budget Setting Report, to be discussed at the Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee meeting next week, the city council has responded to the county’s plan to end its external funding worth £50,770 a year to Shopmobility.
The city council is proposing to contribute financially to meet these costs itself, and in the medium term to review the service to see if the service can be provided more efficiently in the future without compromising its quality.
Cllr Lewis Herbert, Leader of Cambridge City Council, Councillor Lewis Herbert said: “Like all councils, the county council has had to make some difficult decisions on where to make savings due to the latest cuts in funding from the government.
“However, we are really disappointed that the County have chosen to cease their contribution altogether, since this service is used by people from all over Cambridgeshire – and in fact it was only initially necessary because of the limits the county council’s Core Traffic Scheme placed on disabled access to the city centre.
“This notwithstanding, and despite our own extremely difficult financial position, we feel that Shopmobility provides a much-needed service to some of the most vulnerable people living in the city and others who are visiting Cambridge.
“Shopmobility provides an important role helping people make the most of the city centre, and retain their independence, and that is why we are proposing to absorb the cut in funding ourselves.”
The council’s budget setting report will be discussed at Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee on 18 January. A meeting of the full council will decide whether to approve the recommendations in the report on 25 February.
The city council’s Budget Setting Report is available on the council’s website here: http://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=159&MId=2874
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Contacts
Cllr Lewis Herbert, (Labour Group), Leader of the Council and Executive Councillor for Strategy and Transformation, email: lewis.herbert@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 07748 536153
Cllr Tim Bick (Liberal Democrat Group), Opposition spokesperson, email: tim.bick@btinternet, tel: 07720 413173
Cllr John Hipkin (Minorities Group), Opposition spokesperson, email: castleindependent@gmail.com, tel: 01223 564126
Simon Payne, Director of Environment, email: simon.payne@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 458517
Paul Necus, Head of Specialist Services, email: paul.necus@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 458510
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