ELLESMERE Port and Neston MP Justin Madders has called for an immediate halt to plans to close the town s Citizens Advice office. Mr Madders has written to Citizens Advice Cheshire West chair of trustees, Geoff Hope-Terry, asking for a full public consultation and consideration of alternatives before any final decision is made. Citizens Advice Cheshire West said the Ellesmere Port office is unsuitable for social distancing and that a large number of clients are now accessing support via telephone and online. For those who prefer to meet face-to-face, services will be offered at a number of CoAPs. Mr Madders wrote: I am writing to you to express my disappointment and objection at the decision to close down the Ellesmere Port office of the CAB which I have just read about on social media.
Citizens Advice Cheshire West is moving their services into local community venues. Chief executive Jason Bishop said: “The Covid pandemic has changed the way clients access Citizens Advice support and we have seen a large increase in telephone and digital. As a result we have introduced a free telephone service and email advice to make it easier for clients to contact us.
Jason Bishop, chief executive Citizens Advice Cheshire West As a district with a large rural area, we see the provision of a telephone service as being an essential part of increasing accessibility to advice. However, we also recognise the difficulties that some clients have in accessing our service and the fact that some clients and issues just need to be seen face-to-face.”
CITIZENS Advice Cheshire West is closing its Ellesmere Port office and instead offering services from local community venues. It says the move has been made because the current Whitby Road base is unsuitable for social distancing. A large number of clients are now accessing support via telephone and online. However, for those who prefer to meet face-to-face, Citizens Advice Cheshire West will be offering services through dedicated Community Access Points (CoAPs). This could mean someone being able to use a telephone at the venue to access its free advice line or a pre-arranged face-to-face appointment with a member of staff or volunteers.