A CUT in funding at Bury District Citizens Advice Bureau Service has forced bosses to change the way its services are provided across the borough.

The Prestwich branch, on Fairfax Road, will now become a telephone-only service.

Callers will be advised over the phone unless the case is complicated or the client needs more support, and therefore an appointment would be arranged.

Dave Bevitt, Bury Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) chief officer, said: “A lot of people don’t realise that citizens advice bureaus are all independent charities that rely on donations and grants as well as winning contracts to provide advice services, such as the one we have with the Money Advice Service to provide debt advice.

“We have strong support from the council, but their finance pressures have meant a drop of £80,000 in our grant support.

“Managers, supervisors and admin have all had hours reduced but we still can’t balance the books without reducing our premises costs.”

The bureau will retain a drop-in service at Radcliffe on a Monday and the popular stall on Bury Market when it is open.

Drop-ins are also available at Whittaker Street council offices in Radcliffe on Wednesday mornings for council tax and housing benefit claimants and at the Six Town Housing offices on Tuesdays and Fridays for their tenants.

Mr Bevitt continued: “We don’t want to go down the route of a telephone-only service as we know some clients, particularly the vulnerable, will always need to see an adviser face to face.

“However, the Prestwich Bureau will become a telephone-only bureau from the beginning of this month and longer term, our Radcliffe premises will close and we will move to new premises.

“We are developing a series of community outreaches to make our service available to everyone across the borough.

“We can help most inquirers over the phone, calling back if necessary, to save people having to travel to a bureau and preserving the face-to-face advice for those who need it most.

“We only had a few weeks’ notice of this major cut which was far deeper than we anticipated, so we are still developing our new service, our staff and volunteers remain fully committed to providing accurate, timely advice to everyone in Bury who needs it.”

Around 7,000 individuals sought help from Bury's CAB last year, raising more than 20,000 different enquiries, of which 80 per cent related to debt or benefit problems.

Details of new services are being sent out and details of how to contact Bury CAB is on www.burydistrictcab.org .

The bureau is also on the lookout for volunteers and supporters, and anyone interested in finding out more can contact Mr Bevitt by e-mailing chiefofficer@burycab.cabnet.org.uk

The new advice line number is 0844 826 9320 and is available 10am to 3pm, Mondays to Fridays.