Today is the day of reckoning for the Citizen Advice Bureaux in Billericay and Wickford.

The two CABs annually provide help and advice to more than 12,000 people, but they say if they do not receive adequate financial support from Basildon District Council they will struggle to survive.

Billericay, Wickford and Basildon CABs have each submitted competing grant bids, but the total of their applications are almost £30,000 higher than the council's budget limit of £141,000.

The chairman of Basildon Council's community and leisure committee, which will take the final decision has, however, said there is no more money available.

Last year arguments between the three CABs developed over how to share out the council's block grant.

The Billericay and Wickford branches ended up battling through the last year after being given what they viewed as inadequate funding.

They will hear tonight (Thursday) just how the council is to respond to Billericay CAB's request for £43,905 and the Wickford branch asking for £46,066.

Chairman of Billericay CAB, Steve Lynch, said: "We have put in what we believe is a reasonable bid for the CAB to carry on in Billericay.

"We have looked very carefully at what we needed to survive and asked for no more than that. We no longer have any reserves to fall back on."

In the past year Billericay CAB has been able to maintain services while seeing its financial security deteriorate dramatically meanwhile Wickford CAB has been forced to cut staff hours and costs while also using reserves up equally rapidly.

Wickford CAB manager, Diane Storey, said: "There is a level which we cannot go beyond and we are almost there.

"We have used reserves to maintain our services, but we must legally keep back at least three months running costs. Over the past three years the CAB grant has shifted in favour of Basildon bureau, which is also successful in attracting additional funds."

Wickford CAB is under severe financial pressure. Last year it used up £15,258 making sure it could continue providing services and now it only has £16,790 left in the bank. Billericay CAB's position is very similar as it is operating with an annual loss last year, of £7,869.

Both need to cover the costs of staff, premises and mounting pressure from people needing their services - all CABs have seen increases well above 10 per cent in the number of enquiries.

Committee chairman, Cllr Nigel Smith, said: "The council cannot be the sole financial supporter for the CABs. We will not exceed our budget and we are bound to disappoint all the CABs."

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