STAR Community Services in the Redlands has recently aligned with the Coordinating Organisation for the Disabled in Ipswich (CODI) in a management agreement.
The decision follows the business review undertaken by CODI General Manager, Pat Morgan. The review led to CODI and STAR holding formal discussions on opportunities to work together to ensure the community transport services that CODI has provided for 35 years can continue. Under the arrangement CODI Inc will remain as a legal entity and all contracts for service remain the responsibility of CODI.
Chairperson of STAR Community Services Rob Spencer said that the opportunity to become formally involved in the delivery of community services in Ipswich was an exciting time for STAR and would bring benefits to both organisations. He said it also recognised that the sector was undergoing rapid change.
Under the management agreement STAR Community Services will assume all operational responsibilities for planning, organising and delivering CODI’s transport services. The clients of CODI will still be picked up in CODI vehicles and the scope of services under existing transport contracts with government and other organisations is unaffected by the CODI / STAR arrangement. The delivery of services will be led by General Manager STAR Community Services Patsy Wilshire,.
The organisations have agreed to use the remainder of 2016 to investigate options for formal merger or amalgamation. This work will be undertaken jointly by the Boards of both organisations.
