Bridgnorth councillor says CAB not needed in town
The Citizens Advice Bureau does not need an office in one Shropshire town according to a councillor – because the area doesn't have as many problems as other parts of the county.
Shropshire councillor John Hurst-Knight said Bridgnorth did not have as many problems affecting its residents compared to other towns such as Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Ludlow.
He also said most of the work carried out by the CAB when it occupied offices at Shropshire Council's Westgate building in Bridgnorth was done over the phone.
Councillor Hurst-Knight, who represents Bridgnorth West and Tasley, made the comments during a meeting of Bridgnorth Town Council.
The CAB moved out of Westgate before Christmas due to funding cuts. It currently does not have a home in the town, but has maintained a presence in Oswestry and Ludlow.
Councillor Hurst-Knight said: "The CAB in Bridgnorth simply closed because a lack of numbers attending.
"Offices were kept open in Ludlow and Oswestry because people were still going through the doors.
"Bridgnorth is very fortunate it does not have a lot of problems compared with those in Ludlow, Oswestry and Shrewsbury.
"Some 75 per cent of all calls to the CAB in Bridgnorth were made by telephone. That service will be maintained and on Tuesdays it will be staying open late."
But town councillor Adrian Hinton said it was not a lack of numbers that had closed the service, but a withdrawal of funding.
Town clerk Anne Wilson said the council had made an offer to Shropshire Council to use one of its rooms for the CAB.
She said: "Council leader Keith Barrow has not replied to either email but we were offering help as a town council."
Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, Councillor Hurst-Knight said during his time as the town's mayor in years gone by the CAB had always been well supported by the town council and the former Bridgnorth District Council.
He said: "While I was on Bridgnorth District Council we gave the CAB about £30,000 a year to do significant work, looking at everything from benefits to how to access grants.
"The town council, when I was mayor, gave CAB about £5,000 and outreach work was also carried out at RAF Cosford."
