Agenda item

The Chief Executive Officer, Kate Sawby, gave a presentation in respect of the work of Citizens Advice Surrey Heath.

Citizen’s Advice Surrey Heath aimed to tailor their services to the challenges facing Surrey Heath residents; whilst meeting the needs and signposting 4,000 clients, about more than 13,000 issues, last year alone. In addition the organisation had seen significant increases in email and webchat correspondence in the last year.

Whilst Citizen’s advice continued to help people with issues around welfare benefit, consumer rights, housing, employment and relationships, the average issues per client had increased notably. During the 2017-2018 financial year clients now had an average of 3.3 issues in contrast to 2.7 average issues per client, which needed CAB help, during the 2016-2017 financial year.

Citizens Advice’s Services promoted early intervention and social prescribing, which reduced the need the allocation of resources further down the line. Financial modelling showed that every £1 invested into Citizen Advice Services in 2017/2018 resulted in £6.35 in savings to government and public resources.

Citizens Advice Surrey Heath currently had 58 active volunteers. Working with the CAB had enabled volunteers to live healthy and fulfilling lives. It had been found older volunteers had felt less isolated as a result of volunteering and a number of law students had found volunteering to be a good application of their learnt skills.

Arising from the Members’ comments and questions the following points were noted:

·         Citizens Advice had given invaluable support to a number of residents in Chobham. Whilst advice surgeries no longer took place in Chobham on a weekly basis, Chobham and nearby residents could continue to access CAB outreach sessions at Chobham Village Hall once a month, and at Chobham, Bisley and West End’s Children’s Centre.

·         The organisation aimed to tackle domestic abuse by implementing an ‘ASK scheme’, which gave victims a safe space to disclose hidden, violence, following routine questions during reports of debt and housing issues. In addition the bureaux worked in collaboration with the National Centre for Domestic Abuse. 

·         The £80,000 Surrey Heath revenue grant, which Citizen’s Advice Surrey was in receipt of, went to the infrastructure to enable CAB services including the costs of utilities and supervisors’ salaries. Additional sources of funding allowed for case-specific training for volunteers such as on welfare benefit reform.

·         Fiscal modelling had proven the economic benefit of the Citizens Advice Bureau’s work on the public sector. It was underlined that Council Tax arrears was the most reported CAB debt problem and a reduction in CAB services would have a direct knock-on effect of greater numbers visiting GPs’ surgeries.

The Committee thanked Kate Sawby for her informative presentation and for the ongoing, invaluable work of Citizens Advice Surrey.