Cardiff CAB closes, but 'not because of the cuts'

Cardiff Citizens Advice Bureau closed yesterday, it has been announced. It is understood that the closure is not the result of legal aid cuts and the city council has said it has not changed its funding arrangements.

Citizens Advice is the largest third sector provider of advice in Wales. During the financial year April 2010/11, CABx in Wales dealt with over 401,000 problems, a 16 per cent increase on the previous year.

Dominic Jenkins, chair of Cardiff CAB, said the bureau would be insolvent from 31 October and 12 staff would be losing their jobs.

Jenkins said an interim service, managed by the Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Taff, Caerphilly and Newport bureaux, would ensure that 'comprehensive advice'would start as soon as possible.

'Throughout October we will be making every effort to maintain as normal a service as possible and the staff and volunteers will continue to work hard to achieve this,' he said.

A spokeswoman for the city council the closure of Cardiff CAB due to insolvency had not been brought about by 'any cut or change of funding by Cardiff Council'.

She went on: 'The bureau is financially unviable due to a range of factors, but funding from Cardiff Council and other agencies has not been cut.

'The priority now is to establish a temporary alternative service, which we understand will be provided by neighbouring CAB services.'