Push to save advice service

Earlhopes CABinitiativewillsurvive

Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl is hopeful a crucial advice service set up to support vulnerable individuals will survive.

The Observer reported on Wednesday that the outreach programme run by Stirling District Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) in seven Stirling-area communities was to shut down.

Services in Callander and Killin, along with Cultenhove, Cornton, Plean, Fallin and Cowie, will be affected by the closures which have come about due to Big Lottery funding coming to an end.

The outreach programme, better known as the Skint initiative, has been running for five years and is designed to give critical financial advice to those who need it, with weekly sessions running in each of the communities.

It is thought that funding provided to run these clinics totalled around £100,000 each year.

Jim Roche, vice chairman of Stirling District CAB, says the group are “very unhappy at being forced into this situation”.

There are fears that these closures will have a “significant impact on tackling poverty and inequality” – with both SNP councillor Alasdair MacPherson and Labour’s Corrie McChord saying the programme was crucial to families affected by Tory welfare policy.

However Mr Earl, a Conservative councillor, insists he’s disappointed that political comment has been made on the subject.

He said: “These services are vitally important, especially in our rural communities where transport can be a real problem for those needing the highly professional advice that CAB always provide. We must find a way to sustain the outreach programme and I am sure we will manage to do so.

“This is not a subject for political comment and I find it unfortunate others have chosen to do so. The only important issue is how to ensure people get face-to-face opportunities to receive often crucial advice and support.”

It was reported earlier this week that money would be set aside in the upcoming SNP budget to allow CAB to continue running the service. Councillor MacPherson said: “The loss of this service is a massive blow to Cowie, Fallin and Plean. CAB have provided a vital service to the most vulnerable in my ward, especially those impacted by Tory welfare reform.

“The SNP group met this week and we agreed that this is such a vital service that we will be putting £50,000 in our budget to continue the great work that CAB has done. I hope the Tory/Labour administration’s budget matches our commitment.”

Councillor McChord, convener of community planning and regeneration at the local authority, said: “Labour councillors are working tirelessly to limit the damage done by the SNP Government and their massive cuts to local authority budgets.

“The advice obtained by financial outreach programmes can be invaluable to families struggling to make ends meet, particularly given ongoing Tory UK Government attacks on welfare.

“We’ll make every effort to find a way to ensure those who need it can continue to access the vital services.”