High fuel costs leave Shropshire volunteers out of pocket

Soaring fuel prices are leaving volunteer drivers helping those in need in remote parts of Shropshire out of pocket, it has been claimed.

Nigel Hartin, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Shropshire Council, said mileage rates had not increased in line with the fuel prices in recent months.

He said projects such as Clun Community Car Scheme were having problems recruiting or keeping volunteer drivers.

Now the Liberal Democrats are planning to put a motion to a meeting of Shropshire Council on February 24 calling for the authority to lobby the Government to increase the maximum mileage rate set by the Inland Revenue.

They also plan to write to Chancellor George Osborne and Treasury Minister Danny Alexander to raise the issue of the impact of fuel costs on volunteer groups.

Councillor Hartin said: "The 40p a mile limit was set by the Inland Revenue a good few years ago now. It was supposed to cover not only fuel but wear and tear on the car as well.

"Since then, fuel prices have almost doubled and the AA now reckons that between 43p and 52p a mile — depending on mileage and engine size - is now the amount that should be paid to compensate someone for the distance they travel.

"The problem is that neither this nor the previous Government have taken any action to adjust this amount to fairly compensate employees and volunteers alike.

"I understand from my former colleague Colin Pendry that the Community Car Scheme in Clun is having difficulty in recruiting and keeping volunteer drivers because the mileage rate is so low and that similar schemes across our area are having the same problem."

Councillor Heather Kidd, Shropshire councillor for Chirbury and Worthen, said: "This particularly hits home in a country area like ours where staff and volunteers have to drive significant distances to do their work.

"We can't be the only area where staff and volunteers are suffering this."

Mr Pendry, who has been co-ordinator of Clun Community Car Scheme for the past 40 years, said his group took people from Clun on visits to day centres and to hospital, doctors and dentists appointments if they don't have access to their own transport.

He said people were taken to places such as Gobowen and added the scheme was entirely reliant on volunteers giving up their time.

By Peter Kitchen