Growing Support for CAB from District Councils

Councils across Northern Ireland are responding positively to a call from Ards Borough Council to write to the Minister for Social Development, Alex Attwood to highlight the financial challenges and pressure of work facing Citizens Advice offices in Northern Ireland. This followed a vote in which Ards Borough Council agreed to send a letter of support to the Minister on behalf of the network of CAB offices across Northern Ireland.

Ards CAB has received welcome support from a number of local MLAs in order to ensure that the bureau can continue to provide its valuable service to the local community in the Ards Borough Council area.  Kieran McCarthy MLA, in a letter to the Newtownards Chronicle said “Ards CAB deserves full credit for their work.  Let us commit ourselves to support this excellent organisation in all the work they do.”

Strangford MLA Jonathan Bell has also called on the Social Development Minister Alex Attwood to “step up to the plate and support Newtownards CAB”.  He said: “They had a wonderfully person centred and sensitive approach and there are literally thousands who can give testimony to show how Ards CAB met them at the point of their need, and helped obtain solutions whether it be debt advice or ensuring they have appropriate benefit, amongst a host of other issues.”

Coleraine councillors have supported the call from Ards Borough Council for the Minister to review and potentially increase the level of Government funding for CAB.

Derek Alcorn, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice welcomed the initiative from Councils saying: “The public in Northern Ireland is facing huge reductions and changes to the benefits system, and a shrinking economy which will lose £4billion over the next 4 years. We will be dealing with house repossessions, debt, and a huge increase in demand. It is reassuring that Government and Councils understand this.”