Local MSP Craig Hoy has recently met with Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Dumfries and Galloway following news they may face their entire programme of funding from Dumfries and Galloway Council being withdrawn.
Mr Hoy met with Philip Stewart from CAB to learn more about the service they offer and hear about the implications of losing the funding from the local authority, which is their single biggest source of revenue.
Currently the council funds around 48% of the total running cost of the service, and Mr Stewart warned that without it there would be no prospect of the CAB staying open.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Hoy said: I welcomed the opportunity to meet with Phil Stewart from Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Bureau following the alarming news that council budget proposals would remove its funding entirely. This would bring an end to this vital service to the community and must be challenged robustly.”
Mr Hoy learned that research reveals that Citizens Advice Bureaus provide a substantial return on investment to their communities.
He said: “For every £1 invested the return on investment to society is £50. This would mean the loss of a vast social and economic benefit for Dumfries and Galloway.”
Mr Hoy has welcomed a new petition against the closure and is urging residents to make their voice heard.
He added: “I encourage residents to sign the petition, and I will be writing to the council leader this week to urge the council to think again. I will be doing my own submission on the budget proposals, warning that rural services must be protected. It is time the SNP Scottish government stopped its central belt-focused approach and listened to the needs of residents here in Dumfriesshire.”
