Four Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) branches in Birmingham have been given a reprieve, following a meeting with the city council.

The branches were expected to close after Birmingham City Council announced last month that it was axing its funding, as part of the local authority’s wider budget cuts.

But, following a meeting last week, the charity has announced that the service should be able to keep going until at least August.

‘The meeting allowed us to examine a range of issues to try to help CAB continue to provide a service,’ said deputy council leader, Cllr Paul Tilsley.

‘And while we have not been able to offer any additional funds, we did clarify how transitional arrangements for funding could be accessed from the Government and from smaller council funds.’

Birmingham CAB’s chief executive, Yvonne Davies, said it had a ‘positive dialogue’ with the council at the meeting, and was ‘hopeful’ that the transition funds available, from both local and central government, would allow it to continue operating for the time being.

Other CAB branches across the country are facing similar funding problems as local authorities cut funding.

But the CAB in Islington is bucking the national trend, following the news that work has started on a new local authority-funded branch. CAB staff and volunteers will share the office with Islington LBC workers, when it opens in April.

‘We are delighted to be delivering this new CAB service as we know how important it is to provide the advice people need for problems they face and to improve the policies and practices which affect people’s lives,’ said Islington CAB chief executive, Alison Lamb.

‘We are currently working to ensure we deliver a service which meets the needs of local people.’