Update regarding community transport services in West Northants

18 August 2026

The Council shares concerns about the importance of community transport services and the vital role they play in helping residents, particularly older and vulnerable people, access healthcare, shopping, social activities and essential services. We also recognise the anxiety and uncertainty created following the closure of Ability CIC in April 2026. 

Ability CIC ceased trading having provided West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and its users with only 37 days' notice of closure. This created an immediate and significant gap in provision and required a rapid response from the Council and its partners to identify alternative arrangements and explore options for sustaining community transport services.

In response, the Council launched its Community Transport Grant Programme on 26 March 2026. At that stage, we deliberately sought to provide sufficient time for existing and potential providers to engage with Ability CIC, understand the scope of services previously delivered and develop proposals that could help address the gap left by its closure. We had anticipated that multiple organisations, in partnership, might come forward to deliver services at a scale capable of replacing a substantial proportion of Ability's former provision.

Unfortunately, this did not materialise. As the application process progressed, it became apparent that interest in delivering services across the former Ability operating area was limited and that no provider had yet presented a fully developed and financially robust proposal capable of replacing services on the scale previously delivered.

A significant challenge has also been the inability to obtain the detailed operational data needed to properly assess service viability, demand patterns and route requirements following Ability CIC's closure. We approached Ability CIC for this information and whilst their response was constructive it ultimately confirmed that the data could not be shared with the Council.

The Council has spent considerable time working with transport colleagues, their transport consultants, former Ability representatives and other stakeholders to try to obtain this information through other means. Unfortunately, this process has been complicated by data ownership, data protection and regulatory issues relating to concessionary travel information. Whilst progress has been made, these matters have taken considerably longer to resolve than anticipated and have impacted the Council’s ability to make informed decisions regarding the most effective allocation of funding.

Alongside this work, Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire established a task and finish group involving interested community transport providers. However, discussions repeatedly highlighted the absence of detailed operational data as a significant barrier to determining what services might be viable, sustainable and capable of meeting local needs.

Given these challenges, the Council concluded that it would not be appropriate simply to allocate all available funding without a clearer understanding of present and future demand. As a result, a further engagement exercise was commissioned to ensure that any remaining funding is targeted where it can achieve the greatest benefit for residents.

This engagement work continues. Parish councils previously served by Ability CIC are currently being surveyed to assess current and future transport requirements, and this will be followed by further engagement with community transport providers to establish what services they are willing and able to deliver.

Whilst we appreciate concerns regarding timing, this exercise is intended to ensure that future investment is based on evidenced local need and leads to the development of a more sustainable community transport network. We would not be serving communities well by rushing funding and assets to providers before they are in a position to deliver a sustainable service. Doing so could ultimately create further challenges and uncertainty for the communities that rely on these services. 

With regard to grant funding, the Council's Community Funding Grants Panel agreed to award £72,000 to voluntary car schemes and other community transport organisations already providing services across West Northamptonshire, including within areas previously served by Ability CIC. A further £101,000 has been retained pending completion of the engagement exercise and will be allocated, alongside the former Ability minibuses, to the provider or providers best placed to deliver the services identified through that process.

All applicants were contacted directly in July and advised whether they were successful or not in securing a grant and of the current position. They were also invited to participate in the forthcoming engagement exercise. The overwhelming majority confirmed that they wished to remain involved in shaping future provision.

Whilst the Council acknowledges the concerns that have been raised by some providers regarding financial sustainability, it is important to recognise that these challenges are not unique to community transport organisations and reflect wider pressures across the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. Many organisations continue to face increasing costs, decreasing reserves and a more challenging funding environment nationally.

The Council remains committed to supporting community transport wherever possible and to ensuring that available funding is used effectively, transparently and in a manner that best meets the needs of local communities. It is precisely because of the importance of these services that we have taken the decision to gather further evidence before allocating the remaining funding, rather than risk investing significant public funds in arrangements that may not be sustainable or capable of meeting demand.

We recognise the frustration caused by the time this process has taken and appreciate the uncertainty this has created. However, our priority remains the establishment of a sustainable and evidence-led approach that delivers the best outcomes for residents across West Northamptonshire.