New provider backs out from Cheshire West Shopmobility. Service closure looms after funding cuts and temporary extensions.
The council worked with local groups. They wanted a Shopmobility that could support itself. They picked a new provider last August, but now that provider has decided to back out.
This service began way back in 2007. They offered mobility scooters and wheelchairs every day, letting folks with mobility issues get around town easier.
Last February, they cut a huge grant, £117,000 spread over two years. The charity said they handled many bookings, like 3,000 a year! That totaled 130,000 hours for 800 people.
The council kept funding DIAL temporarily to keep Shopmobility going for a bit. It stopped in Northwich and Ellesmere Port in December, but it will stay in Chester until March. The council seeks a new option for Chester’s scooter rentals.
A council member, Shelia Little, spoke up recently. She said they face big budget issues, and other local governments are in the same spot, you know? She understands Shopmobility’s importance, helping locals and town visitors.
They want to find new ways to run it and are partnering with the community, plus other groups. They are still trying to find a long-term fix and especially want to keep scooter rentals in Chester going.