Post by jman on Apr 7, 2011 18:03:44 GMT 1
Article about a consortium in Essex including the CAB, local Shelter and a local firm of solicitors who have banded together to lobby the local MP on legal aid cuts. An example to local groups across the UK of what we need to be doing
"Help us reverse cut to legal aid lifeline
4:25pm Thursday 7th April 2011
By James Calnan »
PROPOSED cuts to legal aid which helps 1,500 north Essex residents stay out of debt should be reversed, according to charities and solicitors.
The Government plans to slash the amount it spends on legal aid by £350million.
The bulk of the burden will fall on civil cases, such as evictions.
In north Essex, a consortium of the Citizens Advice Bureau, homeless charity Shelter and solicitors Fisher Jones Greenwood supports 1,500 people a year with their debt, housing and welfare benefits issues.
It says without its help many more people would be rendered homeless, leaving local authorities to pick up the bill to house them.
The group has made its case to Colchester MP Bob Russell, and plans to meet other MPs, including Priti Patel and Bernard Jenkin in the near future.
Richard Aldridge, chief executive of Colchester’s Citizens Advice Bureau, said the consortium already had to turn people away because it could only help about 1,500 people a year.
He said: “It will lead to more deprivation, more debt, more repossessions and more people not getting the benefits they are entitled to.
“There will be nowhere for people to go, and that’s the point we made to Mr Russell today.”
Mr Aldridge said they had to win 60 per cent of the legal challenges they made.
He added one specialist officer last year saved taxpayers an estimated £750,000 by taking on 150 cases, which varied from tribunal applications for welfare benefits to possession orders.
Mr Russell said he accepted the consortium’s case the cuts could result in more public money having to be spent.
He said: “I think there will be unintended consequences here.
“The savings on the one hand will be wiped out.”
Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has previously said civil legal aid would only be normally available when life or liberty was at stake."
www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/8961954.Help_us_reverse_cut_to_legal_aid_lifeline/
"Help us reverse cut to legal aid lifeline
4:25pm Thursday 7th April 2011
By James Calnan »
PROPOSED cuts to legal aid which helps 1,500 north Essex residents stay out of debt should be reversed, according to charities and solicitors.
The Government plans to slash the amount it spends on legal aid by £350million.
The bulk of the burden will fall on civil cases, such as evictions.
In north Essex, a consortium of the Citizens Advice Bureau, homeless charity Shelter and solicitors Fisher Jones Greenwood supports 1,500 people a year with their debt, housing and welfare benefits issues.
It says without its help many more people would be rendered homeless, leaving local authorities to pick up the bill to house them.
The group has made its case to Colchester MP Bob Russell, and plans to meet other MPs, including Priti Patel and Bernard Jenkin in the near future.
Richard Aldridge, chief executive of Colchester’s Citizens Advice Bureau, said the consortium already had to turn people away because it could only help about 1,500 people a year.
He said: “It will lead to more deprivation, more debt, more repossessions and more people not getting the benefits they are entitled to.
“There will be nowhere for people to go, and that’s the point we made to Mr Russell today.”
Mr Aldridge said they had to win 60 per cent of the legal challenges they made.
He added one specialist officer last year saved taxpayers an estimated £750,000 by taking on 150 cases, which varied from tribunal applications for welfare benefits to possession orders.
Mr Russell said he accepted the consortium’s case the cuts could result in more public money having to be spent.
He said: “I think there will be unintended consequences here.
“The savings on the one hand will be wiped out.”
Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has previously said civil legal aid would only be normally available when life or liberty was at stake."
www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/8961954.Help_us_reverse_cut_to_legal_aid_lifeline/