Charities are suffering during this hard economic time which is affecting all of us.
The Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau is one of these charities and they are wholly dependent on grant funding to be able to deliver services.
Most of the primary sources of help, support and impartial information the bureau gives is free.
CAB asking local councils for help
The bureau is now so concerned about their future funding that their Bureau Manager has written to Town and Parish Councils across the Island asking for financial support.
Under LGA1972 s142 gives Towns and Parishes the power to support organisations such as the CAB and they are asking that when precepts are set for the next financial year that local council’s make a provision to be able to give the CAB a grant.
Share the precept?
They recognise the difficult problems that the unitary authority has and are advocating that the time has now come to raise money through the precept to help people overcome their problems at town and parish level.
The bureau costs some £500,000 a year to run of which £136,500 comes from the Isle of Wight Council.
Other funders include the National Lottery, the NHS, McMillan, the Legal Services Commission and Face to Face.
The Isle of Wight Bureau employs 15 permanent staff members and has 31 volunteers.
It will be interesting to see how Town and Parish Councils across the Island receive the request when they are also having to cut their own cloth accordingly.
