CAB slam cash cut

Council funding threat

Motherwell Citizens Advice Bureau could be forced to close after the bombshell news that North Lanarkshire Council plan to cut their funding in half.

The proposed 50 per cent slash in funding to Motherwell and Wishaw CAB has left the future of the service in serious jeopardy.

And CAB manager Kinga Kosakowska has slammed the move.

Ms Kosakowska said: “We consistenly perform to the highest standards, achieving exceptional results for some of the most vulnerable members of our community year after year.

“Over the last year our expert advice put a total of £5.5 million back into the pockets of local people.

“We supported a total of 3400 local people deal with 30,000 complex issues across a breadth of advice.

“Our work is more crucial than ever before but North Lanarkshire Council are meeting to discuss slashing CAB’S funds.”

An NLC spokesman said the council agreed in March to carry out a review of advice services, which included all services operated by the council and all external organisations funded by the council.

The spokesman continued: “That review has shown there is substantial duplication across the board.”

A meeting to discuss the future shape of advice services throughout North Lanarkshire is to be hosted by the council.

A number of key areas are expected to be discussed, including duplication of services, funding and streamlining organisational structures.

Representatives of the area’s Citizens’ Advice Bureaux and other advice agencies have been invited to meet council leader Jim Logue and transformation committee convener Andrew Spowart.

Councillor Spowart said: “I fully understand the concerns of third sector advice services over the proposals but the facts are simple: given the scale of cuts the council is dealing with, changes need to be considered.

“It comes down to this: we have tough decisions to make about many statutory services and advice groups cannot be immune.”

There is substantial duplication