Cango bus 'at risk' from funding shortage as town council cancels grant

A CALL-AND-GO bus service used by less mobile residents could soon fold, warned New Milton councillors, as they decided to stop funding it amid a shortage of contributions from other parties.

Available to everyone in the town, Bashley, Tiptoe, Sway, Hordle and Lymington, Cango buses can be booked to pick up and drop off passengers at chosen stops, as well as calling at regular stops.

The service is often used by people to get to and from medical appointments at Lymington New Forest Hospital, and also for shopping trips to Tesco in New Milton and Waitrose in Lymington.

New Milton Town Council has been paying out £2,000 per year towards the running of Cango’s booking service since September 2015 after funding was withdrawn by Hampshire County Council. This has been going towards an annual running cost of £6,000.

Each year, £2,000 has also come from Sway Parish Council, while Hordle has been contributing £500.

Lymington and Pennington Town Council has so far declined to provide any funding – a decision that has provoked annoyance among some of their New Milton counterparts.

The remainder of funding had been met by £500 grants each from three local county councillors, Alan Rice, Jacqui England and the late Ken Thornber, up until the end of March last year.

New Milton town clerk Graham Flexman told the council’s finance and general purposes committee an application had been made to HCC this year for funding from county councillors Fran Carpenter, Michael White and Mel Kendal.

However, only Cllr Carpenter had come forward with the promise of a £500 grant, leaving a £1,000 shortfall.

Although expressing regret that this could mean Cango shuts down by the end of March, most committee members felt New Milton Town Council should not have to plug the funding black hole.

“It’s not fair to the townspeople of New Milton to continue funding this bus service,” Cllr David Hawkins said.

“It’s a shame that the people who fall foul of this are our residents.”

Stressing the potential loss of the service would also affect residents in the other towns and villages it covers, Cllr Steve Clarke was frustrated by the lack of financial support from Lymington and Pennington Town Council.

“This town council has funded its fair share,” he said. “They won’t pay a single penny in Lymington.

“I don’t think the residents of New Milton should have to pay for the wealthy residents of Lymington. We agreed to fund on a shared basis.”

Cllr Hawkins told members he would like to see the town council continue to support the Cango booking service until the end of the current term and then wait for a new contract. But Cllr Alan O’Sullivan pointed out this would cost the council another £1,000.

Members agreed the town council should cease funding the service but also send a letter to the other authorities of the relevant areas, advising them of this and that it can no longer run without sufficient financial support.

Acting F&GP chairman Cllr Neil Tungate commented: “We can’t cover for other people’s responsibilities.”