ALTERNATIVE funding methods must be found by West Dunbartonshire Council to secure the future of its festive safety scheme this year.

Welbeing initiative Night Zone West (NZW) was launched in 2014 and designed to keep local people safe during the festive season through the employment of “marshals” at taxi ranks in Clydebank, Dumbarton and Alexandria.

In 2016/2017 Scottish Government community funding was cut which meant there would be no taxi marshals that year; instead, funding was secured from the licensing budget, which paid for police officers’ overtime to allow for an additional police presence in the main town centre areas of West Dunbartonshire.

Last week, members of the council’s corporate services committee were asked to remove the funding for the scheme – but a motion asking officers to look at different ways of delivering it, including use of volunteers and alternative funding sources, was presented to councillors.

The motion, put forward by the council’s leader, Councillor Jonathan McColl, stated: “As part of their investigation, officers should work with our community planning partners.

“The committee agrees that a report will come back to the corporate services as soon as possible after July recess giving members options for the continuation of this valued festive service.”

Speaking about the motion, Cllr McColl said: “It’s a service we really don’t want to cut, but we need to find another way of funding it.

“It is important that we work with our community planning partners on this. A lot of people we are talking about helping here are students at West College Scotland. Our partners might be able to help with resources to help reduce the burden.”

A plan will be brought to the committee after the summer.