Witney News - Funding for Citizens Advice Bureau

Funding for Citizens Advice Bureau

The West Oxfordshire District Council is proposing to grant £91,000 to the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) so it can continue providing an information and advice service in West Oxfordshire. This money is for the core work of the CAB operating from their offices in Chipping Norton and Witney.

Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Mary Neale said, "The Citizens Advice Bureau provides an excellent service helping people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free information and
advice."

An additional £52,000 has been approved by the Council for two specific projects. The Rural Advice Project is a home visiting service for the sick, elderly, disabled and people with transport difficulties. The
Partnership Project enables the bureau to provide essential training, administration and supervision to support the core service.

Barbara Shaw, Manger of West Oxfordshire CAB said, "We are very grateful for the continued vital support of the District Council. With their support we were able to give advice on over 19,000 issues last year and to help residents of West Oxfordshire who are vulnerable, sick or disabled claim an additional
£1,000,000 of benefits".

The West Oxfordshire CAB is a charity. It is dependant on grants and fundraising to cover its costs. It
delivers free, confidential impartial advice to everyone through its workforce of professionally trained volunteer advisers. There are two offices in the District at 33a High Street, Witney and at 31 High Street, Chipping Norton. The CAB also runs a series of additional projects which enable the residents of West
Oxfordshire to access help and support in the community as well as providing specialist advice on issues such as housing, homelessness and debt.