Citizens Advice Bureaux across Suffolk will have county council grant funding again from next year, after finance chiefs performed a u-turn on cuts.

East Anglian Daily Times: Gordon Jones said a better settlement for 2020 allowed the CAB grant to be restored. Picture: SCC/SIMON LEE PHOTOGRAPHYGordon Jones said a better settlement for 2020 allowed the CAB grant to be restored. Picture: SCC/SIMON LEE PHOTOGRAPHY (Image: Simon Lee Photography)

The cash-strapped Suffolk County Council last year announced it would be axing the £368,000 subsidy it provided to CABs in Suffolk as part of a series of cuts to services.

That change was then phased over two years in light of furious biteback from the CABs, members of the public and opposition parties, and resulted in a zero-hour deal with the clinical commissioning groups to provide one year of grant funding.

Now, Conservative cabinet member for finance Gordon Jones has confirmed in the first draft of the council's budget for next year that it would be restoring a CAB grant of £360,000 over three years - £120,000 a year.

The funding is understood to be given on the basis that the CABs become financially independent by the end of those three years.

East Anglian Daily Times: Nicky Willshere from Ipswich Citizens Advice said the funding from the county council allowed it to make a real difference. Picture: LUCY TAYLORNicky Willshere from Ipswich Citizens Advice said the funding from the county council allowed it to make a real difference. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR

Mr Jones said: "The proposal now is to give a settlement of £360,000 to Citizens Advice Bureaux spread over three years.

"I think from our meeting this morning a lot of the CABs understand that and are very much ready to have further transformation.

"There has been a lot in the west of the county and that's a direction they are going to replicate."

Addressing the question of why a grant has been restored, Mr Jones added: "We have had a better settlement than in previous years - we actually have one of the best settlements since 2010 - but it is only a one year settlement."

East Anglian Daily Times: Staff and volunteers from Suffolk branches of Citizens Advice outside Endeavour House, Ipswich, earlier this year when councillors were discussing cuts to the service's funding - now the cuts will be reversed Picture: NELLEKE VAN HELFTERENStaff and volunteers from Suffolk branches of Citizens Advice outside Endeavour House, Ipswich, earlier this year when councillors were discussing cuts to the service's funding - now the cuts will be reversed Picture: NELLEKE VAN HELFTEREN (Image: NELLEKE VAN HELFTEREN)

The CABs will still get the £180,000 for this year pledged by the CCGs, according to the council.

Nicky Willshere, chief officer of the Ipswich CAB, said: "We are pleased that Suffolk County Council has understood and responded to the absolute necessity of our services across the many communities in the county.

"We continue to work hard to provide support and advice to all corners of the county, especially to the most vulnerable.

"It becomes increasingly difficult to find alternative sources of funding for our core to ensure continuity of service and to enable the project-funded work to continue, so this news is very welcome.

"The Suffolk trustees and chief officers continue to explore all options to increase funding for our services.

"We are local charities and we rely on local support. The funding we receive from Suffolk County Council enables us to make a real difference in the lives of people across the county and we are very grateful for that, but disappointed that this funding has been reduced."