Wakefield District Citizens Advice Bureaux
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Wakefield District Citizens Advice Bureaux
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Current NewsMay 2008 Insight Issue 38 published The latest copy of the Trustee Board newsletter is now
available. March 2008 Insight Issue 37 published The latest copy of the Trustee Board newsletter is now
available. 11 February 2008 NEW BOSS FOR THE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU! Liz Halliday is taking over as the new Chief Executive of the Wakefield District CAB. After 20 years service with the Citizens' Advice Bureau, 9 of those as Chief Executive in Wakefield, Irina Wright has retired. Irina is looking forward to having more time to pursue her many interests including skiing, tennis, travel and playing in her Brazilian Samba band.
Her replacement is Liz Halliday who has 10 years of experience in charity management and was once a volunteer at her local bureau. Liz outlined her priorities in this new role: One of my first jobs will be to consider how we might
address this. I will also be working with other advice providers, local
solicitors and the council to look at ways of developing a more integrated
approach to offering advice to people in the district.' January 2008 Insight Issue 36 published The latest copy of the Trustee Board newsletter is now
available. December 2007 Insight Issue 35 published The latest copy of the Trustee Board newsletter is now
available. August 2007 Insight Issue 34 published The latest copy of the Trustee Board newsletter is now
available. June 2007 Insight Issue 33 published Download a pdf (270Kb) copy of Insight Issue 33 31 May 2007 CAB TELEPHONE SERVICE and INFORMATION CENTRES Wakefield District CAB is having to reduce its telephone advice service by one hour a day from Monday 4 June because of insufficient resources so that the opening times will be as follows:
The Information Centres are still open for general information on Monday and Thursday mornings at Wakefield, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at South Elmsall and Wednesday and Friday mornings at Pontefract. People can simply drop in and browse all the available information from 10 am onwards up to 1 pm. "You can come in any time during the morning. You do not have to wait if you can choose your time when to visit us" said Irina Wright, Chief Executive of the CAB. "Visiting the Information Centres is an informal but often vital first step that can set you on the right path to solving your problems for yourself. But if you need more support, all you have to do is ask for it or ring us on 0870 1212044. We are more than happy to help." The Information Centres are proving very popular and are great value for money. For a mere £90K (£20 per client) the CAB could expand its new "Information Centre" service from a morning service twice a week at 3 offices to a 5 day week at all locations, but would need sponsor ship from large local businesses to do so. Anyone who would like to sponsor the CAB in doing its very valuable work for vulnerable and disadvantaged clients, please contact Irina on 01924 378063 April 2007 Insight Issue 32 published Download a pdf (250Kb) copy of Insight Issue 32 March 2007 Insight Issue 31 published Download a pdf (230Kb) copy of Insight Issue 31 December 2006 Insight Issue 30 published Download a pdf (430Kb) copy of Insight Issue 30 August 2006 Insight Issue 29 published Download a pdf (310Kb) copy of Insight Issue 29 13 March 2006 "UNDER SIEGE" - DEBT NOW! "Not coping with your debts feels like you are under siege" said Nesar Rafiq, Chair of the Wakefield District CAB. This was why the Bureau put together a programme of events to discuss all aspects of debt, from lending practices to debt recovery, from advice services to Credit Unions. To kick off the day, a panel was assembled to emulate the BBC programme "Question Time" under the chairmanship of Nesar. Lenders were represented by Steve Hall from Lloyds TSB, from the commercial sector, and Andrew Young of White Rose Credit Union representing social enterprise. Peter Nelson, Regional Manager of the Legal Services Commission covered the funding of advice. Mark Cranmer of the WMDC Community Engagement team gave a personal perspective whilst Lisa Colclough from Citizens Advice touched on client problems and future legislation. A lively debate on irresponsible and responsible lending ensued, with a recognition that people generally found it hard to live without some form of credit especially if they were on a low income which is not enough to stretch to large single purchase items such as children's shoes. Credit Unions with a low interest rate are ideal for this purpose. The unions also have a saving facility that help people on low income save small amounts of money for just such an eventuality. The banks were challenged on their admin charges - it is conceivable that a person on income support of £52 per week could be charged in the region of £30 for an unauthorised overdraft - nearly 60% of their income! Irresponsible lending was challenged, where people with no means of repaying a loan are lent large sums of money which then send them into the depths of despair when they realise the implications of having a financial "ball and chain" around their necks. Lisa Colclough told the audience that there was a new Consumer Credit Bill pending which would outlaw this practice by having an "unfair credit" test. Consumers will be able to challenge the validity of a credit agreement if it is made without taking into account the consumer's ability to repay. Peter Nelson as a major funder of legal advice recognised that debt was a major issue but at present over 80% of the civil legal aid budget was spent on family issues - only 8% was allocated to debt advice. If that amount was increased , other areas of law would suffer. "The purpose of the day was to inform and entertain in equal measure" said Irina Wright, Chief Executive of the District CAB. "It is an increasingly serious problem with grave consequences for those that fall into arrears. Already 45% of our work is debt related, helping those people in trouble to budget and then renegotiate their repayment schedule so that it is manageable. The main issue is that for as many we see, we turn another third away because of lack of resources." 22 February 2006 Ed Balls MP: "Maximise Your Benefits - You Could Be Entitled To Claim More" Normanton MP Ed Balls is hosting the first event of its
kind to help thousands of people find out if they are claiming their rightful
benefits. Ed Balls said: "This is a brilliant - confidential - opportunity for people in Normanton to find out if they are claiming and receiving all the benefits they are entitled to, whether that's pension credit, child tax credit or even grants to help with improving heating or saving on energy bills. This expert advice event is the first of its kind and I hope it will make a real difference to people's lives." The event is being organised in conjunction with Eaga Partnership, the company who manage the Government's Warm Front scheme, and the Wakefield District Citizens Advice Bureau. Eaga has helped more than 1,600 households in the Normanton area to have central heating and energy efficiency improvements in the last five years, through Warm Front, a government programme, which aims to eradicate fuel poverty. Both Eaga and the Citizens Advice Bureau have found that thousands of people in the Normanton area are entitled to at least one extra benefit worth on average an extra £25 per week. The event will be held on Friday, March 3, 2006 at the Alice Bacon Community Centre, Market Street, Normanton from 11am to 3pm. Trained benefit entitlement check advisors from the CAB will be on hand to give free, confidential and independent advice. "We are really pleased to be working with Ed Balls in this joint initiative. It is a chance for people on a low income to find out if they are claiming all of their rightful benefits " said Irina Wright, Chief Executive of the Wakefield District CAB. " If it is successful, we will be looking to repeat the day elsewhere in the District so that even more people have access to advice on their entitlements" Every year billions of pounds of benefits and tax credits
are going unclaimed Those interested in attending the event should bring along supporting documents if they are already receiving benefits. For more information contact Mr Balls' constituency office on 01924 898 158. Media Contact 3 October 2005 ED BALLS MP VISITS WAKEFIELD CAB! Ed Balls, the MP for the Normanton constituency, came to visit the Wakefield office of the Wakefield District CABx to find out for himself what the CAB does in Wakefield, what services are currently provided and who the target groups were. He was particularly interested in the work that CAB does in providing money and welfare benefit advice to people living in deprived communities. “We are able to tell him that 42% of our work is debt and money advice and 25% welfare rights work” said Irina Wright, Chief Executive of the District CAB. “He was particularly concerned that we were unable to stretch our resources to all the people who needed our service – especially those on some estates within outwardly affluent areas.” “We were also able to point out that Working Tax Credit, whilst a success for many people in lifting them off the poverty line, was a nightmare for those with fluctuating incomes that accrued overpayments which the recipient was then unable to repay” The outcome is that the CAB and Ed will be working in partnership to set up 4 benefit take-up days located in Normanton, Outwood and selected areas in Ossett and Horbury. Other relevant agencies will also be invited to take part. “We hope to assess anyone that turns up and identify what extra income is available to them to help those struggling to make ends meet which is a welcome addition to our service” added Irina. 30 June 2005 BUSINESSES BEWARE! Wakefield District CAB is sending out a warning to all businesses about a scam that seems to be targeting local firms. The Bureau has itself received a bogus "Final Demand" form and typed self addressed envelope stating it is from the Data Protection Agency requesting payment of £135. "The real fee is £35 and fortunately we knew we had already registered so we rang up and queried where this had come from, thinking it was some kind of Debt Collection Agency" said Irina Wright, Chief Executive of the Bureau. "We found out it was bogus. It then occurred to me that the local area is being targeted and if you are not aware of the rules and regulations about Data Protection, then you could easily be duped and part with £135 instead of £35" So please ignore any correspondence received from PO Box 1173, Blackpool FY3 7WQ or similar addresses in Blackpool, implying they are the Data Protection Agency. Trading Standards are aware of the scam and advise that these forms should be torn up. Our form and envelopes have been handed into the Police. If you want to know more about Data Protection and whether you should be registered or not please contact the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Helpline: 01925 545740. Email: data@notification.demon.co.uk . 26 May 2005 HELP US HELP YOU - BY KEEPING OUR COMPUTERS RUNNING! Wakefield District Citizens Advice Bureau, a charity that gives advice on sorts of problems to anybody that wants it, is experiencing its own problems! Its three main offices at Pontefract, Wakefield and South Elmsall are fully computerised with Local Area Networks, internet and intranet to enable us access "state of the art" information on behalf of our clients from our own monthly updated national data base and from the internet as part of the e-Government initiative. The only problem is that as with all technology it has a habit of breaking down or doing very strange things (hardware more than software though they are often interconnected)and we do not have anybody who has the depth of knowledge on the maintenance side. As a volunteer based charity, I am therefore asking, begging even, if the businesses of Wakefield Metropolitan District could club together and each donate their IT skills in the form of a willing computer "buff" who could be contacted and be available to come into one of our offices at least one day per month. If are willing to donate someone could you please contact Irina Wright, Chief Executive, Wakefield District CAB, 27 King Street. Wakefield. WF1 2SR Tel:01924 378063 (ex-directory) email: irinawright@wakefielddistrictcab.co.uk Thank you very much in anticipation 20 April 2005 CHANGES TO OPENING TIMES AND SERVICES Wakefield District Citizens Advice Bureau is having to make changes to its opening times as follows: Wakefield Office, 27 King Street, will now shut an hour earlier for their drop-in service so will be open from 9:45 to 13:00 on Mondays and Thursdays. There are no changes for drop-in times at Pontefract Office, Horsefair House. Pontefract and South Elmsall Office, Westfield Lane, South Elmsall. The telephone service for general advice on 0870 1212044 is also reduced by one hour during the day. It will run from 10:30 to 13:30 Mondays to Fridays. However there will be a new service targeted at employed people between 16:30 and 18:30 on Tuesday evenings. Castleford Outreach, the Five Towns Centre has had to close completely. These changes area a result of increased quality procedures for which there is insufficient money to fund the necessary resources. "The changes mean that the clients that are seen are guaranteed a fuller, more holistic quality service but unfortunately fewer citizens will be able to access it" said Irina Wright, Chief Executive of the District CAB. " We are monitoring how many people are unable to access a full interview in the hope that this will secure us what we need in the future." Residents who do arrive at any of the offices too late to get a full interview are none the less given as much information as possible so that they do not leave with nothing. "We are doing the best we can in the circumstances, as we do not like to disappoint all those people in need" she added. The good news is that the Bureau has secured some funding for one year so we have been able to re-open Airedale outreach, at the Health Centre on Fryston Road on Thursday mornings between 10:00 to 13:00. This same funding is keeping Ferrybridge Outreach open on Argyle Rd, also between 10:00 and 13:00. These two outreaches are targeting Selby miners and their families. "As with any charity, we are reliant on our funders, so services come and go. This is one of the more successful outcomes for this coming year" said Irina. To volunteer at Wakefield District CAB please call 08451 264 264 or call Pete Hudson on 01924 383200. 4 April 2005 MIXED FUNDING FORTUNES FOR THE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU Wakefield District CAB has now heard the outcomes of its applications for funding for 2005/6 which is bad news for some residents of Castleford but better news for those residents who are former Selby and Kellingley miners or their families. Despite an increase, the funding from WMDC is insufficient to cover the service delivery needs which has led to the decision by the Trustee Board of the charity to close down the outreach service at Castleford Resource Centre in the town centre on Monday and Thursday mornings. The closure of this well used outreach service will be a severe blow to the residents of Castleford but the Board felt they had very little choice. Further cuts of an hour per day will also have to be sustained by the telephone service and the drop-in service at the Wakefield city centre office. "With the greater emphasis on quality of advice, it is unfortunate that the level of funding by the WMDC, although an increase, no longer covers our service delivery needs and those of the clients so cuts to hours have become inevitable. It is a great blow to us as we just implemented a new more efficient service" said Nesar Rafiq, Chair of the District Bureau. "If we had the funding, we could double the service to meet current demand" Meanwhile funding from the Coalfield Regenerations Trust has secured a re-opening of the Airedale outreach, starting on Thursday 7 April, 10 am at the Health Centre which is aimed primarily at the ex Selby and Kellingley miners and their families. The outreach at Ferrybridge Residents and Tenant premises on Wednesdays will also target this client group. The SRB 5 money, which funded the Hemsworth and Kinsley outreaches, has now come to an end. As no further funding has been found, as of 4th April these two outreaches will also have to close. "It is a real shame to have to close service outlets that are so well used. It demonstrates the high need for our services - demand does not go down, but without the resources, it is simply not possible to sustain them. I hate to start something and then later on have to dash peoples hopes as the money runs out but that seems to be the way of the political world at the moment" said Irina Wright, the Chief Executive of the CAB. " We rely heavily on volunteers but they need funded support from paid staff" To volunteer at Wakefield District CAB please call 08451
264 264 or call Pete Hudson on 01924 383490.
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Wakefield District CAB updated: 20 May 2008 |
