Thanks to a second grant from Wilmslow Town Council the Citizens Advice Bureau is going to be able to expand its service in the town and operate a second weekly session.
The Citizens Advice Bureau returned to Wilmslow last year after the Town Council agreed to provide funding for them to set up a new operation in the town.
Wilmslow Town Council provided a grant of £15,000 to support the Cheshire East Citizens Advice Bureau North's new outreach service in Wilmslow.
The new service started in September and has run each Monday from the United Reformed Church.
As anticipated, the service has been well received and in the first three months the Citizens Advice Bureau has seen 45 clients who have brought 68 different issues - although issues relating to welfare and sickness benefits have made up the largest number of enquiries.
However, because of the numbers trying to access the three hour service and the complexity of the issues being brought, there have been potential clients which they have not been able to see.
Jacquie Grinham, Chief Officer at CAB explained "The demand for the service has been sustained over the 3 months of operation and a single session is proving insufficient to satisfy that demand and to give the level of advice and support required.
"If we were able to operate a second session per week we would be able to ensure that more of those accessing the service could be seen. We should therefore like to ask the Town Council to consider the possibility of granting an additional £5000 which, added to the existing grant of £15,000, would enable us to offer that second session."
Councillors voted unanimously in support of providing a supplementary grant of £5000.
Cllr Christopher Dodson commented "I very strongly support this. I believe it is just the sort of the thing this Council should be supporting. There is a very definite need."
The report supplied by CAB shows that the vast majority of the clients using the service over the past 3 months were from the Wilmslow area, 42% were aged between 35 and 49, whilst 22% were in the 50 to 64 age group.
Over 57% of the enquiries have been about benefits. Debt and housing enquiries have come equal second (at 10.3%) with relationship next and employment and legal coming quite a bit lower.
Of the 45 clients seen over the period, 31% have been men and 69% women.
This second service will operate from 5.30pm to 6.30pm on Thursdays, downstairs in the Library.
No appointment is necessary for this drop-in service and free, confidential, impartial, independent advice and information is available on a wide range of subjects.
For further information visit www.cecab.org.uk.
