WORCESTER City Council is confident of Government backing in its row with neighbouring authorities over funding for pensioner bus travel.

The city’s head of finance Grahame Lucas said Whitehall officials agree Worcester should be able to claim cash back from other district councils in Worcestershire, if they were over-funded for the Government’s concessionary travel scheme.

The city council is being forced to make cuts after being significantly under-funded for the scheme, under which authorities must pay bus companies every time a pensioner makes a free journey in their area.

Yesterday we reported the findings of an independent study which predicted that by contrast, Wychavon, Malvern Hills, Redditch and Wyre Forest will all end up with surpluses from their Government grants.

Now Worcester wants the grants redistributed within the county, but the other authorities have rejected the idea, denying they are in line to make profits.

Mr Lucas said: “I have spoken to the Department for Transport’s lead civil servant on concessionary travel, who supports Worcester’s actions.

“I shall be seeking the support of the new transport minister when the city council meets him with (Worcester MP) Mike Foster.” Mr Foster has repeatedly demanded the money be redistributed.

Each of Worcester’s neighbours has rejected they are in line to profit from the scheme. Several authorities have pointed out the recent report is only based on estimates of what the scheme will cost.

Mr Lucas suggested the whole issue could have been avoided had the councils agreed to distribute the grant between themselves.

“The Government consulted all district councils in October 2007 on the new grant and asked specifically would they each support the special grant being paid to one council in their area, to be distributed on a locally-agreed basis.” he said. “In our area, only Worcester said yes.”