STAFF at an advice centre in Colchester have written an open letter to Colchester Council condemning funding cuts.

Citizens Advice Colchester fears cuts in Colchester Council Voluntary Welfare Grant funding could spell the end to its vital service.

The council announced its grant to the advice bureau next year will be £25,000 - half of the amount it provided this financial year.

In 2018, the service received £50,000 and the year before this they received £101,791.

Staff have written a letter to Tina Bourne, councillor responsible for communities, which said: “We do not think a reliable accredited service is something people facing homelessness or unmanageable debt can get from wherever.

“Difficult problems require specialist skills and all the training and auditing that goes along with it.

“The 75 per cent cut in funding to Citizens Advice Colchester will have a major impact on our future viability. The consequences are likely to be severe for our thousands of vulnerable clients.”

Colchester Council had about £200,000 to give away.

Mrs Bourne said the funding had been spread across more organisations this year.

She said: “This grant has been going for decades. A couple of years ago we changed the funding criteria as small organisations felt they never had a chance.

“Applicants had to demonstrate they would either increase volunteering, help people build skills, prevent loneliness or help vulnerable people.

“This year we had 60 applications and we can either spread the jam thinly or follow the criteria.”