7 May 2009

Citizen Advice funding cut

7:47 am on 7 May 2009

Citizen Advice Bureaux funding in Auckland City is to be cut.

The City Council's Community Services sub committee has voted to reduce the budget for local bureaux by $65,000 per year.

CAB manager Lynne Barraclough says she's extremely disappointed by the cut - which is more than 10% - and says the service won't be able survive in its present form.

Subcommittee chair Paul Goldsmith says it has a mandate to reduce rates increases.

Cr Goldsmith says CAB in Auckland has $250,000 in cash reserves and it should dip into those funds.

However, Cr Richard Northey, says the demand for the CAB's services is increasing. He describes the cut as particularly sad for the volunteers involved.