Funding cut threatens Cornwall Citizens Advice service

Citizens Advice Cornwall have described plans to slash its budget by more than half as 'unthinkable'.

The charity relies heavily on donations and grants to keep going.

But Cornwall Council is considering reducing the grant it gives the service by £200,000 pounds a year.

The service offers free, confidential and independent advice.

One many who has used the service described it as a 'lifeline'.

Cornwall Council says it needs to find £75 million in savings.

Cllr Julian German said it was considering axing the Citizens advice budget completely.

''In our long term budget strategy we'd put forward zero for next year for citizens advice, they've been aware of that for the last 4 years."

"We've been doing various programmes to try and get them to that position, that hasn't been successful, so in the draft budget we put back in £153,000."

A final decision on the funding will be made in February 2018.