East Ayrshire Council offers no guarantee to Citizens Advice Bureau

Feb 5 2010

EAST Ayrshire Council’s cabinet last week warned that they could offer no guarantees to make up a shortfall in Citizens Advice Bureau funding.

An outreach service for communities in the Cumnock and Doon Valley area is under threat after £50,000 in lottery funding was pulled.

At present the service is being paid for out of the CAB’s reserves.

Last week’s cabinet meeting approved grants of £142,796 per annum for the next three years to fund the core activities of the Kilmarnock-based CAB.

In addition the council will fund money advice service to the tune of £108,000 for at least the next year.

Council solicitor David Mitchell told the cabinet that the funding amounted to “a standstill budget”.

He said that he would be holding talks with CAB manager Margaret Burgess about the future of the bureau’s services and would bring a further report to cabinet within the next few months.

Mr Mitchell warned, however, that, in the current economic climate the council had a “requirement to look at every penny we spend”.

He said: “The standstill package for 2010-11 seems to represent a very good deal in very difficult circumstances.”

While he would discuss the CAB’s difficulties with Mrs Burgess, he said that he “wouldn’t want to build up any expectation”.

Said Mr Mitchell: “I appreciate it makes it more difficult for the CAB, but that simply reflects the current climate, where it is difficult for the council as well.”

And council leader Douglas Reid said: “At least in the short term it will give some sort of stability to the CAB.”

In reply to questions from Labour opposition leader Maureen McKay, Mr Mitchell said that the council was not in a position to commit itself to funding the outreach service.

He accepted that if the CAB had less money overall, “there would be some things they can’t do any more”.

Councillor Reid said: “That is something we can reflect on come the review.”