Thurrock Citizen’s Advice Bureau is facing the threat of closure, the council confirmed today.

The vital public service could be shut down following a council decision not to renew the service’s grant from April 2017.

The decision to remove funding was taken last year at a full council meeting in February 2015, but the branch was given a ‘transitional’ grant till early next year.

Today the council confirmed the grant, which expires in April 2017, will not be renewed, which means the branch may face closure unless it can find alternative funding to stay open.

In a letter sent to Ukip councillor Luke Spillman dated August 19, council officer Richard Booth wrote: “There are no plans to renew this grant although a meeting is being held with CAB week beginning 30 August 2016 to fully understand their funding strategy and to explore future options, including external funding opportunities.”

Former Citizen’s Advice Bureau worker and Councillor Luke Spillman slammed the closure as costing "much more to the community than the meagre savings made by removing the grant.”

He said: “Thurrock Citizens Advice is an essential service for thousands of local residents.

"The previous cuts decimated our service and a range of other charitable advice services in Thurrock.

“Southend and Basildon Council can find money for free advice services so why can't the people of Thurrock expect the same?

"It's time Thurrock Council and all Councillors in the chamber took responsibility on this issue.

“If we remove this funding, then the service will close, and then there will be no turning back when Thurrock Council inevitably realises that the cost to the community is much more than the meagre savings made by removing the grant.”

Council Leader Rob Gledhill said he had opposed the closing of the branch after its original proposal at a budget meeting in 2015 and was due to meet with the branch on August 30 to discuss “options”.

Speaking today, he said: “Only just today has the Chair of CAB contacted me personally to look at options which I really welcome.

“It is clear that engagement and working together is the order of the day, not closure.”

Mr Gledhill also said he had originally fought the closures at a budget meeting in 2015, saying: “Budget envelopes for library services, street cleaning and grass cutting within Thurrock are taking a hit to make loss-making commercial services operate, and that is not fair.”

A spokeswoman for Thurrock Council also said the council was “mindful” of any impact any closure could have.

She said: “Thurrock Council has been proud to provide support to the Citizens Advice Bureau in their move to greater financial sustainability, over the past two years, since the decision was made to remove funding at full Council in February 2015.

“This has included significant transitional funds, as well as ongoing support to explore external funding opportunities and options over the last 18 months and this will continue for the remainder of this financial year.

“There is currently a Grant Funding Agreement with CAB which ends March 2017.

“Although there are no formal arrangements to renew this grant, we have been in discussions with CAB for the last 18 months and have a further meeting arranged for next week.

“We are mindful of the impact any possible closure may have, and therefore will continue to offer our support where we can.”