Post by Colin Henderson on Jan 28, 2012 22:21:34 GMT
After 73 years of a continuous presence in Middleton, Lancashire, the Citizens Advice bureau will finally close in March this year.
"The Milton Street office will shut in March after funding was slashed. Rochdale and District CAB manager Andrew Kay said budget cuts had forced them to chose between maintaining a permanent base in the town or providing out-reach services.
Mr Kay added: “Several of our funding streams have been reduced or removed over the past 18 months and as a result we have had to consider how we deliver our services. “While the Middleton office will close in March, we have arranged alternative outreach venues in Middleton, so services in the area will continue. No one wants to be in the position of dealing with reduced funding, but by working together with the council and other advice providers locally, we are doing what we can to minimise the impact of the cuts from central government. Taking the money we need to save from building costs rather than from services is one of the ways we can do this.”
The CAB office in Milton Street opened in the 1980s but the group has been based in the town since 1939 after Middleton was chosen as one of the first areas to launch the new advice service. Over the years staff have helped thousands of people struggling with debt, benefits, housing, legal issues, employment matters and immigration. But the amount of money Rochdale council gives to the CAB has been slashed. This financial year it fell by £24,000, slightly less than the expected £40,000, cut, meaning Milton Street was given a stay of execution until March. But with the full cut expected to be included in next financial year's budget, the CAB has decided to axe Milton Street to save costs."
Post by Colin Henderson on Mar 15, 2012 19:37:55 GMT
There goes another face-to-face service. Next week is the last day for Middleton's 73 year old Citizens Advice Bureau:
"Middleton's Citizen's Advice Bureau will close for the final time next week. The advice service will hold its last drop-in surgery at their Milton Street office on Wednesday (March 21). The group, which offers free advice on debt, benefits, housing, legal and employment, has been forced to shut its Middleton office as part of cost-cutting measures. Although they will still hold out-reach sessions, it will be the first time the CAB doesn't have a permanent base in the town since 1939.
Area manager Andrew Kay said the CAB was still committed to Middleton, but admitted the spending cuts had forced them to change how they work. He said: “We are still totally committed to Middleton but a loss of funding has forced us to become more streamlined. “This is something that is happening nationally as well as in Rochdale and it is changing the way we work. “From now on people's first contact with us will be over the phone, rather than face-to-face, which has been how we worked traditionally.”"
