The council are putting forward a ‘radical’ new strategy for advice services. The plan cuts £500,000 from the council’s direct spending and reinvests £300,000 in the voluntary sector.

Despite the investment in their members services, Sheffield Advice Centres Group (SACG), are campaigning against the plan, ‘A Strategy for Advice Seekers’, which is open for consultation until September 14th.

The Benefits Advice Shop and the Welfare Rights Unit would close, and cuts in specialist workers would mean the loss of the African - Caribbean worker at SADACCA. The £300,000 reinvested in the voluntary sector aims to develop consistent, high quality, services reflecting local needs across the city, including a city wide telephone advice service.

SACG say the new structures won’t work and will cost more than £300,000, as well as reducing services for excluded communities. On page 2 (next) we ask why a strategy to develop ‘joined up working’ has degenerated into open conflict.