Liberal Democrats welcome reprieve for Withington CAB

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 6th Sep 2006

Manchester Liberal Democrats strongly opposed plans to close Withington Citizens' Advice office

Withington Liberal Democrats have welcomed the news that the Citizens' Advice Bureaux (CAB) in Withington Village is to remain open after the CAB withdrew their plans to close it down. The CAB had proposed to close their Withington Office in order to save money and direct clients to the office in Hulme.

Concerned staff and residents contacted John Leech, Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, and local Councillors when the proposals first came to light earlier this year. John Leech, together with all of Manchester's Lib Dem Councillors, wrote to the CAB to demand that they re-thought their plans and kept Withington CAB open. Lib Dem Councillors also held a series of meetings with officers of the City Council to ensure that all possible pressure was brought to bear to get the decision reversed.

Speaking after the reprieve was announced, John Leech said:

"I am delighted that Citizens' Advice have bowed to the pressure from the Lib Dems, the City Council and local people and have withdrawn their crazy plan to axe Withington's CAB."

"The staff and volunteers at the CAB in Withington carry out excellent work for the residents of South Manchester. Withington Village is the ideal location, as it is easy for most people to get to and is in a busy shopping area. It would have been totally unacceptable if it had closed down."

Withington Lib Dem Councillor Simon Wheale, who led the meetings with City Council officers, said:

"We were pleased that the City Council shared our view that the Withington CAB should remain open. We worked together to get them to change their minds. This is great news for the people of South Manchester."

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