LEADING councillors rubber-stamped a decision to scrap funding from two specialist advice services – depsite volunteers warning it could put Basildon’s most vulnerable at risk.

Unhappy members of the public stormed out of the council chamber after the cabinet approved a proposal to give its entire £205,000 annual advice fund to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

The decision means Dial and Impact, which both currently receive a share of the fund, will no longer get any money from the council.

Disability charity Dial, based in Southernhay, Basildon, will miss out on £10,000 of annual funding when its current contract expires on Thursday, March 31.

Addressing Basildon Council's cabinet, manager Jan Stevens said a council review of the three services misrepresented them.

She said: “The decision must be reviewed as it was based on a review which was inaccurate and full of discrepancies.

“There is absolutely no way the CAB can do all Dial does for disabled residents.”

Mrs Stevens explained Dial provides an out-of-hours helpline and home visits, which CAB will not replicate.

She added: “If this decision is not reversed, all our disabled residents who use Dial will suffer.

“CAB may have access to specialised help at a national level, but the people we serve want to be able to phone or drop in without waiting for an appointment.

“They need the professional and friendly service Dial offers.

“If funding is withdrawn, there will be dire consequences for Dial as it will have a knock-on effect on future funding and eventually result in our closure.”

Phil Turner, leader of Basildon Council, defended the decision.

He said: “I would reject claims we are disadvantaging already vulnerable groups. I won’t accept that and I think CAB would be slightly insulted by that.

“Everything we have done is about caring for the vulnerable and making sure they are better served in future.

“You have been a very valuable partner and I apologise for taking the service away, but the future has to be served in different ways.

“A move to CAB is a necessary one if we are to maintain the service in future.”

Stuart Sullivan, councillor responsible for resources, added: “I think it is beneficial for residents that the borough has a single point of contact for the whole range of services CAB offers.”

As the public gallery cleared following the vote, one person shouted “you should be ashamed of yourselves.”

'Scrap parish council funding to pay for advice services'

OPPOSITION councillors want to scrap funding to parish councils to ensure Dial and Impact can keep running.

Gavin Callaghan, Labour group leader, claims opposition parties are “united” in their desire to challenge the Tory administration’s decision.

The Tories currently run Basildon Council as a minority, with 18 out of 41 members, which means they can be outvoted if all rivals combine against them.

Dial currently receives £10,000 per year, while Impact, which provides specialist advice for complex benefits cases, receives £65,000.

Mr Callaghan said: “Opposition councillors are united around the decision to call this in and we will move to do that immediately.”

In addition, Labour will bring a budget amendment proposal to Thursday’s full council meeting which would ensure the two organisations kept their current level of funding.

Mr Callaghan added “It would not increase the cost to the council, it is all about prioritising existing money.

“One of the ways we are considering ensuring Dial and Impact can both sustain their future is by considering whether to continue our grants to parish and town councils.

“We are confident we have more than enough money for Dial and Impact with this idea.”

Leader: 'Opposing a tax rise would be idiotic'

ANY councillors who oppose Basildon Council’s proposed tax rise would be “idiots”, the authority’s leader has declared.

Tory Phil Turner made the remark during a cabinet discussion about the council’s 2016/17 budget, which proposes a 1.99 per cent tax rise.

The administration claims the rise – the first in five years – is necessary as the council’s level of funding from central government has more than halved since 2010.

Even if tax increases by 1.99 per cent for every year from now onwards, it is projected Basildon Council would still have a funding shortfall of £9million in 2019/20.

Mr Turner said: “Some people will argue against a 1.99 per cent increase, but arguing for a freeze would be irresponsible and reckless.

“Any idiot that wants to come forward and say a freeze is in the interest of residents is not serious or credible.”

It comes as independent councillor Kerry Smith, a former Ukip group leader, told cabinet members about an email circulated by Ukip’s local government spokesman.

The message, from spokesman Pete Reeve, urged all Ukip councillors to present an alternative budget based on “a tax freeze or reduction in your local authority area."

Ukip group leader Linda Allport-Hodge could not be reached for comment.