EXTRA money has been found to help Cheltenham's Citizens Advice Bureau survive.

But the charity says its future is still in doubt and jobs could still be lost.

Cheltenham Borough Council's cabinet plans to give the CAB £60,000 over the next two years, in a bid to keep it in the town for that period.

But bosses at the charity say, even if the plan is approved, their future in the town is still in doubt.

Interim manager at CAB, Zoe Holland, said: "We are very appreciative of the offer of transitional funding from the council, but it certainly does not replace all the funding we have had in the past. We will still have to seek alternative funding to provide the full service we currently provide. We have not ruled out the question of moving or sharing premises."

The CAB initially said it faced closure after it lost a £155,000 contract with Cheltenham Borough Council to provide advice on housing and related debt issues to residents. The council carried out a competitive tendering process for its Advice and Inclusion Service contract. It had previously been awarded to the CAB and now County Community Projects' (CCP) has taken this over.

The CAB, which helps around 5,000 people in Cheltenham, is reliant on contracts, donations and grants to offer advice on employment, debt, legal matters and consumer affairs.

Cheltenham, Cirencester and Tewkesbury CAB offices might also have to make 12 people redundant after the borough council pulled its funding.

Cabinet member for finance and community development, John Webster, said the previous funding CAB was receiving from the borough was keeping the organisation afloat.

At a meeting on Tuesday, he said: "It is hard to imagine a town the size of Cheltenham without a CAB. It provides a very wide range of help so losing the money meant the whole service was in jeopardy.

"We have taken the decision to fund them to the tune of £60,000 over the next two years, subject to them completing a plan to adapt to the circumstances they find themselves in."

He added: "CAB's great strength is its volunteers and this is a source of support and energy that we want to protect. The funding should enable the organisation to plan a new way forward."

The proposal was accepted by cabinet and is expected to be confirmed at full council tomorrow when the council is also due to set the level of its council tax.

OPINION, P8