Last updated at 16:16, Wednesday, 06 February 2013

A SERVICE that helps the most vulnerable people in Barrow is hoping for a cash boost.

Barrow Borough Council has backed a bid by Barrow Citizen’s Advice Bureau for up to £350,000 worth of funding.

The bureau, which offers support to some of the most needy people in Barrow, has applied for a grant of between £50,000 to £350,00 to ensure that advice services across the area collaborate effectively and that the service is well equipped to deal with local needs.

The bid is part of a £650m scheme which is a collaboration between the Cabinet Office and the Big Lottery Fund to enable local not-for-profit providers of advice services in England to continue to provide vital help in the community.

Any bid has to be backed by a local authority and each authority can only back one bid.

At a meeting of Barrow Borough Council’s executive committee, executive director Phil Huck said he was not aware of any other organisations bidding for the funding.

He said: “Individual applications must have the support of the authority and the authority can only support one bid.

“The advice we have is that the CAB is the only organisation planning to put forward an application of this nature.”

The bid must be submitted by the end of this month and the CAB has been discussing the bid with Age UK, Mind and the Barrow and District Disability Association.

The bid received the support of the council’s executive committee and leader Councillor Dave Pidduck said the CAB offers support to the people of Barrow.

He said: “Obviously I think, with the way things are, that organisations like the CAB will face an increased workload, if they haven’t already.

“I think it will increase dramatically.”

First published at 16:36, Tuesday, 05 February 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk