News

Vital help provided by Shepway Citizens’ Advice Bureau to people affected by the credit crunch looks likely to be given a £10,000 boost by Shepway District Council.

At its meeting on Wednesday (14 January) the council’s Cabinet agreed a proposal to give a one-off payment to the Bureau to recognise the increased demand for its services.

Although the government has reduced the standard VAT rate by 2½ per cent, the council has found it difficult to pass on the reduction on all its charges and wants the CAB to benefit.

“In some areas, like our Lifeline Service, where the VAT is calculated separately, passing on the reduction has not been a problem,” said the Leader of the Council, Cllr Robert Bliss, “However, when charges for certain council services are inclusive of VAT it becomes far more difficult to calculate and often would involve extra costs, for example re-calibrating all our parking ticket machines.

“The government had reduced VAT from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent as a way of helping people during the current economic downturn. Giving the money that we estimate will be generated by the reduction to the CAB will have a far greater impact and be a more meaningful way of helping people than from any small and piecemeal benefit passed on to the users of certain council services.”

David Willis, Manager of Shepway CAB, said: “I am delighted that Shepway District Council is giving this income to Shepway CAB. It demonstrates our joint commitment to help those worst affected by the recession. In the coming year we want to open for more hours, train more volunteer advisers, and help more people”.