Mid Ulster councillors united in call for action to help save vital community transport services

At the council’s latest monthly meeting, Councillor Sean McPeake called on fellow members to recognise the vital role ‘Out and About Community Transport’ and ‘Shop Mobility’ organisations provide in towns and rural areas in Mid Ulster.

His motion called on the local authority to record its shock that “these much valued not for profit charitable organisations have been put on notice that no departmental funding is guaranteed for them beyond April and that this Council seeks an urgent meeting with DfI’s permanent secretary seeking the securing and ring fencing of the budget necessary to sustain this vital service to our rural communities”.

Cllr McPeake said ‘Out and About Community Transport’ provides over 18,000 dial-a-lift services each year

“The breadth and importance of these services to our local communities is truly immeasurable,” said the Sinn Fein councillor.

“Shop Mobility provides equipment for people with disabilities to help them travel around towns. They help support people with a broad range of mobility issues and work cloely with a range of medical professionals including GPs, occupational therapists and social workers by providing mobility aids for those that need them.

“For me, the possible termination of these services would be disastrous on so many fronts and I believe serious questions need to be asked as to why these services are under threat.

“I am proposing we seek a meeting with the DfI permanent secretary on this issue and seek to ensure the ring-fencing of these funds that are so absolutely vital for these services are maintained.”

Seconding the motion, Councillor John McNamee said he concurred with everything his party colleague had said.

“We need an urgent intervention by the permanent secretary or Secretary of State to guarantee the survival of rural transport or Shop Mobility, anything else would be scandalous,” he said.

“We have worked so hard over the years to build up these organisations to do what they do.”

Councillor Sean McGuigan said he would concur with the previous speakers and noted the “range of anger, concern and shock expressed by individuals shows how much of an impact this will have”.

SDLP Councillor Kerri Martin said her party would be supporting the motion and praised the services for the “incredible work” they do in the community.

“I like many others have been inundated with phone calls about these services from those who rely on them for their independence and for their physical and mental wellbeing,” she said.

“It really is heartbreaking to hear the stories of those who are terrified to be losing these services. This would destroy the hardest of hearts.”

Councillor Dan Kerr said he too supported the motion, stating officials should be doing “everything possible to help maintain and expand services for residents from all demographics, not decimate them”.

UUP Councillor Mark Glasgow described the potential funding cut as “devastating” and questioned how the decision has survived an equality impact assessment.

“We are a rural council and I would love to see and hear where the equality in this, it really does need looked at,” he said.

“It is cutting off many people’s independence. We have grants aimed at tackling social isolation and rural poverty but this decision to cut this funding, is in my opinion, only increasing the likelihood of social isolation and rural poverty. The people that use this service don’t care about politics, they want to be able to get out and live their life.”

His party colleague, Councillor Robert Colvin described the decision to cut this funding as “an insensitive, cynical and thoughtless attack on the people who rely on these services”.

“It is an absolute disgrace, whoever the nameless people in the civil service are that made this decision should hang their heads in shame,” he said.

“People are angry and quite rightly so. I am so upset about this and really pleased to see the motion come forward.”

Council’s vice-chair, Councillor Frances Burton said the DUP would be supporting the motion noting it is a service that rural dwellers “really cannot do without”.

Cllr McPeake then thanked councillors for their support and said “the outworkings of what is likely to happen here is completely contrary to good government policy”.

“Here we have the vulnerable being actively discriminated against,” he said. “I am delighted to hear the cross-party support for this and I thank all the parties for speaking so positively on this issue.”

Council’s Chair, Councillor Cora Corry thanked the chamber for its support and said it was “devastating” to think these services could soon cease to exist.