Published Date:
28 January 2010
A VITAL legal service will continue to run in South Elmsall after councillors secured funding and free room hire.
The Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB), which was based at Westfield Resource and Enterprise Centre, moved to Hemsworth Town Council's offices at the end of last year, leaving South Elmsall residents without easy access to the service.
But South Elmsall Town Council has now agreed to provide £2,500 for the year starting in April to fund an outreach worker, while Coun Fred Hilton has secured a free room at Oasis Christian Fellowship, on Exchange Street.
The new service is due to start shortly and the town council has allocated £50 a week until the start of the new financial year to pay for the outreach worker if necessary.
CAB moved to Hemsworth after Wakefield Council and the Legal Services Commission decided to put the funding it gives to the district-wide service out to tender.
Liz Halliday, chief executive of Wakefield and District CAB, said in order to secure the contract, its offices needed to be based in Hemsworth as well as in Wakefield, Pontefract and Castleford.
The council and LSC funding will pay for the newly titled Wakefield Community Legal Advice Service, which will start in the summer and will be run by whichever group wins the tender. The winner could be CAB or a private firm.
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Last Updated:
28 January 2010 10:18 AM
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Source:
Sth Elmsall Express
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Location:
Wakefield, West Yorkshire