A meeting to raise concerns about the looming financial crisis caused by the concessionary bus fare scheme for pensioners has been described as 'constructive'.

A delegation of politicians from Sussex met with local government minister John Healey in London to outline their fears about the impact the cost of the scheme was having.

Worthing and Adur MPs Tim Loughton and Peter Bottomley were joined by Brighton and Hove City Council finance committee chairwoman Ann Norman and the city's finance director Catherine Vaughan, Adur District Council leader Neil Parkin, Worthing Borough Council deputy leader Ann Barlow and Worthing and Adur chief executive Ian Lowrie.

Mr Healey was told how Adur and Worthing face a shortfall over at least £830,000 when the new nationwide scheme comes into operation in April.

The bill for Brighton and Hove is likely to run into millions and could cause redundancies to make up the shortfall.

All three councils back the scheme in principle, which is supposed to be financed in full by the government.

However there has been a well above average uptake by pensioners on the Sussex coastal strip and the costs of travel are relatively higher in the area which has meant council taxpayers have effectively been subsidising the scheme since it was introduced.

That subsidy is expected to go up disproportionately when the local scheme goes national in April.

Mr Healey said he was grateful for the opportunity to hear the problems first-hand and promised to take up the points raised by the delegation.

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Mr Loughton said: "This was a very helpful meeting with John Healey who was genuinely understanding and surprised by what we told him.

"This is a good government initiative that we all want to see work but not at the expense of local services for all local residents or large increases in council tax for what is supposed to be a central government funded scheme.

"I am optimistic the minister will revisit the rather complicated formula which has impacted so negatively on councils in our part of Sussex rather than penalise us for doing what we have been encouraged to do all along and get more people out of their cars and onto public transport."

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