CITIZENS Advice is to be offered free use of an office in the headquarters of Barnard Castle Town Council in an effort to keep the lifeline service in the town.
The charity announced in the summer it was closing its office in Woodleigh, on Scar Top, with anyone in need of its services being asked to use a telephone helpline.
Prior to Covid, the office was staffed twice a week by volunteers offering advice on a whole range of issues.
Cllr Paul Ing told September’s town council meeting that he had spoken to a number of Citizens Advice volunteers who were “very concerned” about the situation and the effect it would have on vulnerable people in the town.
He said he had been in touch Citizens Advice County Durham’s interim chief executive Jessica Arragon, who was due to visit the town last week.
Before lockdown, Citizens Advice had leased an office in Woodleigh from the town council.
Cllr Chris Foote-Wood said Citizens Advice should be offered the use of an office free of charge one day a week at Woodleigh.
Mayor Cllr Rima Chatterjee said: “We don’t want to lose them, everybody knows that.”
Cllr Ing said recent reports of another suicide in the town highlighted the urgent need for Citizens Advice to maintain its presence.
Cllr John Moore added: “Every town in the country is the same.”
Cllr Ing proposed offering Citizens Advice the free use of an office in Woodleigh for a year.
This was seconded by Cllr Moore and supported by colleagues.
