Hull Citizens Advice Bureau at Risk of Closure By Emma Smith (1/2)

(1/2), (2/2).

You may have seen in the media that Hull Citizens Advice Bureau is at risk of closure due to the introduction of a Community Legal Advice Centre (CLAC). This will be funded by the Hull City Council and the Legal Service Commission which aims to deliver advice in the city primarily through the councils own customer service centres.

The future of the Hull CAB is looking bleak after the Hull City Council and the Legal Services Commission informed Hull Bureau that its bid to run the CLAC was not successful. As well as the potential for job losses it will have a big impact on the existing clients of Hull CAB who will no longer have continuity in advice they receive. The successful bidder is a profit making organisation that may not have the same ethos and values as Hull CAB.

Hull CAB has been operating in Hull since 1939 through a dedicated team of paid staff and volunteers. It is an independent charity and funding has traditionally come largely from the local council, with some funding coming from donations, charities and other sources. The range of advice provision covers all aspects of the law. The basic principles are that the service is free, impartial, confidential and independent.

The service is non judgemental and aims to inform individuals of their rights and responsibilities. The reputation of Hull CAB has been built on trust over many years. Those who come to Hull CAB often come because the organisation was recommended by others. From 2007 to present the bureau assisted clients with 27,785 problems ranging from debt issues to housing and benefit issues.

We see anyone that lives in Hull about any issues that they may have, and would in all cases give the client the options and help needed to try to solve their problems. In some cases this could mean acting on behalf of the client dealing with other agencies and organisations, providing representation at tribunals, or more simply helping a client draft a letter or to make a phone call.

Hull CAB is proud of their tradition and commitment to recruiting and training volunteers from the local community to serve the residents of Hull. We have many instances where volunteer have undergone training with us and experience and then gone on to gain full time employment, whilst many are retired people who wish to give something back to their community.

Where the CLAC was proposed in other cities there was full public consultation however as far as we are aware this was not done in Hull. The union for Hull CAB staff is Unite and the union representatives and its members began extensive media campaign after we found out our bid was not successful, the feedback we have received is that many ward councillors do not appear to have been made aware of the CLAC proposals or consequences for existing advice services in Hull.

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