Four out of five Citizen's Advice Bureaux to close

seanie · Post by **seanie** » 24 Sep 2008, 17:37

FOUR out of five of Edinburgh's Citizens Advice Bureaux are to be closed down amid a funding crisis, it emerged today.

Offices in Pilton, Leith, Fountainbridge, and Portobello, which currently offer advice on debt, benefits, immigration, social and legal services will all be shut down.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 24 Sep 2008, 18:03

seanie wrote:Four out of five Citizen's Advice Bureaux to close

FOUR out of five of Edinburgh's Citizens Advice Bureaux are to be closed down amid a funding crisis, it emerged today.

Offices in Pilton, Leith, Fountainbridge, and Portobello, which currently offer advice on debt, benefits, immigration, social and legal services will all be shut down.

Not so good. Not had any direct experience of using a CAB office but I often direct people to them during my working day at the Council.

I suppose, at least they will be attempting to offset the closing of local offices by providing home visits and a telephone advice service.

Hardly ideal though.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 24 Sep 2008, 18:44

seanie wrote:Four out of five Citizen's Advice Bureaux to close

FOUR out of five of Edinburgh's Citizens Advice Bureaux are to be closed down amid a funding crisis, it emerged today.

Offices in Pilton, Leith, Fountainbridge, and Portobello, which currently offer advice on debt, benefits, immigration, social and legal services will all be shut down.

Sarah Boyack the MSP tabled a motion today at Holyrood on this very subject,

That the Parliament notes with deep concern the decision of Citizens Advice Edinburgh (CAE) to close four of the city’s CAB offices across the city, specifically in Pilton, Leith, Fountainbridge and Portobello; appreciates that CAE both regrets this decision and considers it to be a direct consequence of inadequate funding from Edinburgh City Council; understands that the funding settlement has always been tight and believes that relevant constituency and regional MSPs have always supported CAE and the invaluable services that it offers to communities across Edinburgh; is deeply concerned about the impact of centralising these services for individuals who have mobility or financial difficulties and believes that an expansion of online facilities automatically excludes a significant proportion of users who are neither computer literate nor have ready access to computer facilities; further believes that this development is an unacceptable alternative to frontline advice services, and resolves to work together to reverse this shocking cut to vital local services.

Rachel Windsor · Post by **Rachel Windsor** » 04 Oct 2008, 15:53

Hi All

This is my first post here, so hi

I just wanted to let everyone know that there is an online petition to register public opinion against the closure of the 4 CAB offices (which I made)

Here is the introduction and a link to a place where you can 'sign'

Plans to restructure the Edinburgh Citizen's Advice service, which provides free advice on almost any subject for Edinburgh's community, were announced in September 2008, and caused a massive protest among volunteers and politicians.

Under the plans (which are currently on hold pending a full consultation), Gorgie / Dalry
Leith, Pilton and Portobello offices will all shut, with operations being centralised at Dundas Street.

CAE (Citizen's Advice Edinburgh) have blamed a lack of local authority funding for this move, whilst Edinburgh City Council claim that CAE made a committment to continue to run the Advice Bureaus in their current fashion.

This petition will register popular opinion against the move to close these vital local services.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/edinburghcab/[/url]

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 06 Oct 2008, 11:38

You've got my support Rachel. Hope many more sign up.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 06 Oct 2008, 12:43

Mine too. This is an essential service and it's crazy to think about closing local branches.

Rachel Windsor · Post by **Rachel Windsor** » 07 Oct 2008, 01:28

Hey guys, thanks for joining in, and other hippie type stuff here.

It's so important that we are able to get the service that the CAB provide, since they help people in so many different ways.

Not to put to fine a point on it, I believe local drop in sessions could be the difference for some people between making it through a difficult patch and, well, not making it.

And the idea that people from Portobello could ever be served properly by a centre in Dundas Street is at least naive and at the most wilfully ignorant, so there you go, that's my tuppence worth.

Rachel Windsor · Post by **Rachel Windsor** » 07 Oct 2008, 01:31

Please do spread the word. If 'we' can kick up enough of a fuss about it, we can keep this service, and it will another little bit of the world which works, cos of us.

Tell your friends, and workmates and get it into the public consciousness as much as you can!

(rant over

)

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 09 Oct 2008, 13:31

I just signed it the now.

29 signatures so far.

BeachBum · Post by **BeachBum** » 24 Oct 2008, 16:07

City's Citizens Advice chief resigns amid closures row. From the Evening News today.

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Four out of five Citizen's Advice Bureaux to close

Four out of five Citizen's Advice Bureaux to close

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Re: Four out of five Citizen's Advice Bureaux to close

Thanks!

P.S. Also