Wick Ward Explores Help Available To Those Feeling The Credit Crunch

The Wick Ward Forum will meet on Tuesay 3 March 2009 in the Mowat Room, Assembly Rooms, Sinclair Terrace, Wick. The focus at the forum meeting will be the credit crunch and help that is available to those feeling the effects of it.

Pat Sproul, The Highland Council’s Senior Money Advice Officer will be at the forum along with Jill Smith, Manager of Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau. They will outline what sort of help is available to individuals from all walks of life facing difficulties in the credit crunch.

For a second year running, The Highland Council is committing a further £100,000 to money advice and welfare rights services in the Highlands. This takes the Council's annual funding for these important services to £1,414,000. Recognising the impact of the current recession on families and individuals, the Council is striving to manage the debt burden of some customers and maximise the benefits of others. Support is provided jointly by the Council's in-house team of money advice and customer income maximisation officers as well as advisers at nine Citizens Advice Bureau offices in the Highlands.

Councillor Carolyn Wilson, Chairman of the Councils Resources Committee, welcomed the efforts being made to assist those members of the community in most need of support.

She said: "The recession is impacting upon many areas of day to day life. Our Recession Action Plan recognises the importance of advice and information services and I am delighted that we are channelling extra resources into debt and money advice, benefit entitlement, energy efficiency measures, employment rights, business advice, housing advice, consumer advice and emotional support."

Councillor Katrina MacNab who will be chairing the meeting said:  “It is really important that people know what help is available to them during this ecomonic down turn and equally important that those affected by the credit crunch are not burying their head in the sand by not asking for help or assistance”.

The forum will start at 7.00pm with teas and coffees served from 6.45pm.
Anyone who would like to submit questions in advance of the meeting or has any special requirements or needs to help them take part should contact Ward Manager, David Sutherland at the Council Offices, Market Square, Wick or by phoning 01955 607176 or by e-mailing david.sutherland @highland.gov.uk