Billericay and Wickford CABs were today facing tough financial decisions after failing to secure the full grants they requested.

Basildon Council last night slashed each of their applications by a quarter - yet granted Basildon CAB the full £57,000 it requested.

Basildon CAB also enjoys rent-free accommodation in the Basildon Centre. Billericay CAB's grant was reduced from the requested £43,000 to £29,000.

Wickford - which faced possible closure last year because of financial difficulties - was awarded £33,000 plus a £3,000 supplement instead of the requested £46,000.

This is the first time Basildon Council has been responsible for awarding grants to the individual CABs. In previous years a block grant has been awarded.

This left Billericay and Wickford branches struggling to keep their heads above water while Basildon took to lion's share.

All three submitted separate applications this year in a bid to put an end to the long-running dispute between the three bureaux. Basildon Council tried to get all three to co-ordinate their bids to match the council's available budget.

However the joint bids submitted totalled £26,000 more than the council's £141,000 budget.

Community and leisure committee chairman, Nigel Smith, (Lab, Lee Chapel North) said: "Last year I said this was not an acceptable position for the council to be put in.

"Our budget is also limited and we can't be the sole provider of funds for the CAB."

He added the money had been allocated on the basis of the number of cases each bureau handled.

Desmond Lake, (Con, Burstead), said: "We are facing a significant increase in our rent in Billericay while Basildon bureau doesn't have to pay any rent.

"We're not on a level playing field before we've even started."

Billericay and Wickford CABs both had to draw on their balances to keep services going last year while Basildon ended the year with a £27,270 surplus.

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