THE Citizens Advice Bureau in Henley will receive a share of two grants worth more than a million pounds.

Five bureaux, including the one in Market Place, will merge in April to create a larger, more efficient service.

South Oxfordshire District Council will give the service £662,480 and the Vale of White Horse District Council will give it £414,852, both over a four-year period.

The grants will help pay for ongoing running costs such as staffing, heating, administration, volunteer expenses and rent costs.

Patricia Mulcahy, who chairs the Henley bureau, said: “We absolutely rely on grants and they are always welcome. The councils realise the needs that there are in different areas so they are not cutting back their support.”

She said the merger of the bureaux would improve back-office efficiency.

“The people of Henley who step in off the street for advice from the bureau shouldn’t notice any real difference,” she said. “It shouldn’t lead to any deterioration in the service and we hope there will be an improvement in expertise.”

Councillor Bill Service, cabinet member for grants at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “The CAB provides free, expert advice to many thousands of residents every year. It is an absolutely vital service, right at the heart of our communities and relies heavily on grants like ours to operate.

“The advice the CAB provides is evern more important for residents in difficult finanical times like these, which is also when funding is harder to come by.”

Published 03/01/13