northlincs.gov.uk

42  (39) HUMBER AND WOLDS RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL: VOLUNTARY CAR SERVICE – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval for a grant for the Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council (HWRCC).

HWRCC provided a voluntary car service (VCS) for elderly or disabled people who needed to make essential car journeys but could not use public transport and had no car of their own or anyone who could take them.  The scheme was called “Transport Solutions”.

The service arranged for volunteers to provide journeys using their own cars.  The user paid the drivers expenses for the trip, usually a sum between the bus fare and a taxi fare.

The service was based in Winterton and helped people living in the rural parts of North Lincolnshire.  It provided journeys within the area and to outside destinations such as hospitals and was very highly valued by its users.

The council had grant-aided the service for 17 years.  The money did not go to the users or volunteer drivers but covered the cost of a paid member of staff who acted as a broker between the clients who rung up to request transport and the volunteers who provided it.  The funding also covered telephone charges and a share of accommodation expenses.

The council wished to encourage volunteers to provide services for the community.  The VCS had been doing this for many years and was an important element in the community transport mix in North Lincolnshire.  There may be an opportunity to broaden the service and integrate it with Adult Services work.  The council were helping the VCS to recruit volunteer drivers and would investigate the scope for development.

Resolved – That a grant of £13,575 in 2013/14 to the Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council, to support the voluntary car service, be approved.