29/09/2009 by Steve Barclay.

Attend a meeting organised by the Citizens Advice Bureau in Cambridge.  It is a key local service - 1 in 10 of the population in Fenland has used the Citizens Advice Bureau in the last 12 months (1 in 25 across Cambridgeshire as a whole).  The difficulty faced in Cambridgeshire is that funding nationally is based on aggregate need, which does not reflect the real pockets of deprivation within parts of the County.

A number of important issues were highlighted by Linda Hutchinson, Bureau Manager of the Fenland Citizens Advice Bureau who superbly presented their challenges and the steps being taken in a thoughtful and clear way.  Those seeking advice come from all backgrounds, with increasing number of managers now facing problems with rising debts.  In fact the two most frequent issues raised are debt and employment entitlement, which can be confusing for those who have never claimed before.  Other common challenges are including housing, fuel debt, and older people not claiming benefits to which they are entitled.

A chance also at the meeting to briefly catch up with Caroline Bosworth who chairs the Ely CAB, and Kevan Brenchley, the Barclays Local Business Area Manager.  What is clear in Fenland, Ely and across Cambridgeshire is how the recession is adding to demand for CAB support - there have been 8,000 enquiries received across Cambridgeshire in just the first three months of this year.  Demand in Fenland is up 8.6% on last year.  Despite this huge demand for their services, they reveal that their core funding has declined in real terms.

Funding remains the key concern looking forward. The Government has given a loan for a new advice hub being built in Devonshire Road in Cambridge but this is not a grant.  As so often with this Government, the spending is today but the bill will have to be paid tomorrow.  As Lord Wilson who introduced the meeting pointed out, Government cuts next year will be the worst he has known in his career whoever wins the election.  As the former Head of the Civil Service, it is a sobering assessment.

The meeting highlighted not just the problems but also the successes of the CAB.  It helps ease tensions which might otherwise lead to depression, marital breakdown, or the loss of the family home.  In fact just in Fenland 131 people have avoided losing their homes as a result of their representation in court.  Sadly as Lord Wilson pointed out, the challenges of rising unemployment will not end at the same time as the recession but are expected to continue for some time to come.  Nor will bank lending suddenly return, without which businesses will find it difficult to expand and take on more jobs.

Whilst the CAB is not the sole source of advice, with local law firms in some areas providing pro bono work, they are the key facilitator in ensuring that the correct advice is received.  The meeting was a great way of getting their message across.  It started on time, finished on time, was very well chaired, and full of interesting and thought provoking information.  A very useful meeting.

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17/07/2008 by Steve Barclay.

A school trip with a difference today as usually I am visiting schools to chat with the six form politics class, or the head teacher and governors about issues affecting the school.

This time instead of visiting I had the chance to play host.  Following my visit to Sir Harry Smith’s School in Whittlesey, I had a call from Tim Beebe who is both a school governor there and a colleague at Barclays Bank.  Tim is based in Peterborough, and had arranged a work placement week for one of the students from the school.  However it was missing the chance to come to Barclays Head Office in Canary Wharf where I work (being a Parliamentary Candidate has to fit around a full time job).

So it was great today to be able to return the kind hospitality I received at Sir Harry Smith’s by playing host.  The office here has 31 floors, so as part of the day we took a trip up to the 30 floor where our meeting rooms are based to take in the views across London, including the O2 Dome nearby. Hopefully the day proved enjoyable and provided an insight into the different roles within the bank and the many countries around the world covered from the office here.  And who knows, the bank might even have a talented employee from the school joining us in the future.

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