1 December 2005
Swansea Citizens' Advice Bureau is launching a last gasp campaign to keep its doors open to the public. Bosses say the centre is at breaking point and facing closure unless Swansea Council ups its contribution to costs.They claim a pound for every person in Swansea is needed to combat spiralling costs and years of under-funding.A 40 per cent rent hike, increasing staff costs and funding difficulties have already resulted in redundancies this year.Bureau manager Jackie Preston said: "Each year we go through a difficult time trying to get the council to help us."It seems every time we take a step back and we're now at the point where we can no longer continue to provide a service."It is the people of Swansea who will lose out in the end - the city needs a Citizens' Advice Bureau."Swansea Council comes 21st out of the 22 local authorities in Wales when it comes to funding its bureau."This cannot continue and we cannot deliver a proper service for the people in Swansea who need it."Swansea Citizens' Advice Bureau's Round Pound campaign will be launched on December 19 at its premises in High Street.CAB bosses have said they are targeting Swansea Council's budget review in the New Year to push for increased funding.A spokeswoman for Swansea Council said: "We met the CAB on November 14 and indicated clearly to them that decisions on future funding would be finalised by the end of January."
