COUNCIL chiefs have pledged to find cash to keep a taxi marshal scheme in High Wycombe.

Wycombe District Council had published plans to axe the scheme to save £20,000.

The Bucks Free Press reported on its website today that councillors this week approved the axe. This information was given to the Free Press yesterday.

However, the council today said it gave incorrect information to the BFP and the matter was actually withdrawn at the meeting.

The Free Press had been unable to attend the meeting as it was reporting on election hustings that evening in High Wycombe and Beaconsfield.

Council spokesman Catherine Spalton said: “There are currently no plans to change the way that the taxi marshal scheme in Frogmoor operates.

“The item to discuss the taxi marshal scheme at the regulatory and appeals committee was officially withdrawn from the agenda at the meeting, after the agenda papers had been issued, as we are now exploring alternative sources of funding.

“We advised the BFP that all of the agenda items had gone through as recommended, but did not make it clear that this particular item had been withdrawn.

“We would like to apologise to the BFP and to its readers for any confusion or concern caused over this issue.”

The original plans said the rank would be axed as recent changes meant an unlimited number of ply for hire taxis were operating in Wycombe, reducing demand at the rank.

Two marshals man the rank between 10pm and 4am on Fridays and Saturday.

The withdrawn report said Thames Valley Police would slash its contribution from £10,000 to £5,000 if the scheme continued. Extra funding had been sought ‘without success’.

It said its £20,000 ‘would be more efficiently and productively spent on increased general enforcement’ of taxi licences, which WDC regulates.