Trustees are busy steering Citizens Advice on road to a new future
There’s a lot happening right now in the world of Local Citizens Advice with both fresh and ever-present challenges,. Yvette Ball reports a busy meeting as the team plots the route to a secure new future.
Yvette Ball is Chair of the Trustees Board at Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell. (2 minutes)
At our September Board meeting we focussed on change in the offing with the government’s local government reform (LGR) and the perennial concern for charities, attracting funding.
Surrey County Council and the existing District and Borough Councils will disappear under proposed new local government arrangements. In their place will be two or three Unitary Authorities (UAs) and, later, a combined Mayoral Authority. The Government’s plan is to have shadow UAs in place after elections in May 2026 with the change completed by April 2027.
Time for a rethink
Surrey Local Citizens Advice (LCA) offices have traditionally operated in BC areas and collaborated for funding and services provided. The move to UAs means we need to rethink how we will engage with the new larger government body.
LCA Chairs and CEOs are progressing discussions on how we can work together to best provide a Citizens Advice service fit for the new future. This may sound an obvious development but is a big change in approach from operating as small independent charities. We shall now be partnering and eventually possibly joining up into one larger body. An exciting prospect but there’s a lot of water yet to flow under the bridge!
Stark reminder
And as a stark reminder of why we’re needed despite all this upheaval, I was shocked to read in our CAEE September Newsletter that just 1.4% of advertised private rentals were affordable for those relying on Local Housing Allowance (LHA). Whatever happens we must remain viable and able to assist people in such dire situations.
So, lots to consider as we head into the autumn with the dual challenges of remaining vibrant and viable whilst finding new ways forward and recreating our service.