CAIA PARK COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICE

MONDAY	10:00 am – 12:00pm	Caia Park Centre (Tel: 353941, 310984, 311992)
	1.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m.	Cartrefle (Tel: 290614 + Ansaphone)
	1.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m.	Caia Park Centre (Tel: 353941/310984/311992)
TUESDAY	10.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.	St Peter’s Hall (Tel: 354803)
	10.00am – 12.00pm	The Venture (Tel:07528544960)
WEDNESDAY	10.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.	St Peter’s Hall (Tel: 354803)
	10.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.	Caia Park Centre (Tel: 353941/310984/311992)
	1.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m.	Caia Park Centre (Tel: 353941/310984/311992)
	12.30 p.m. – 2.30 p.m.	The Venture (Tel 07528544960)
THURSDAY	9.30 a.m.– 12:00 p.m.	Cartrefle (Tel: 290614 + Ansaphone)
	10.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.	St Peter’s Hall (Tel: 354803)
	2.00 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.	St Peter’s Hall (Tel: 354803)
	1.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m.	Caia Park Centre (Tel: 353941/310984/311992)
FRIDAY	9.30 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.	Cartrefle (Tel: 290614 + Ansaphone)
	10.00 a.m. – 12.00 a.m.	The Venture (Tel:07528544960)
	1.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m.	The Venture (Tel:07528544960)

· CARTREFLE, CEFN ROAD, WREXHAM, LL13 9NH
· CAIA PARK CENTRE, PRINCE CHARLES ROAD, WREXHAM
· THE VENTURE, GARNER ROAD, WREXHAM
· ST PETER’S HALL, SMITHFIELD ROAD, WREXHAM

THIS IS A FREE SERVICE

PRESS RELEASE

August 2006

The free Community Advice Service run by Caia Park Community Council has helped people to claim over £590,000 of benefits they may not have otherwise had.

During the 12 months to March 31, 2006 the Advice Service staff dealt with over 5,400 enquiries of which 2,626 were new.

Although meant primarily for the residents of Caia Park, the service has an open door policy and 1,120 clients lived outside the area.

Advice was given on a wide range of matters, including attendance allowance, carers allowance, charity grants, child benefit, child tax credit/working tax credit, council tax, disability living allowance, housing benefit, incapacity benefit, income support/pension credit, insurance, social fund, sure start maternity grant and vehicle excise duty.

174 clients reported that they had obtained a total of £590,925 in benefits. These were benefits to which they were entitled but may not have received if they had not contacted the advice service. They included disability living allowances of £176,241, child tax/working tax credit of £55,123 and income support/ pension credit of £77,221

Additionally, the service succeeded in getting three debts, totaling £117,716 written off. These were part of a total of £437,162 debts processed for 168 clients.

Councillor Pat Williams, chair of Caia Park Community Council, paid tribute to the continued excellent work carried out by the advice service staff.

She said: “These benefits were obtained and all the advice given by the one full-time and four part-time staff at a total cost to the Council of £56,206, and represents excellent value for money for the residents of Caia Park and other areas. Bearing in mind that 20 per cent of the clients advised lived outside Caia Park it is unfortunate that to date no other community council within the county borough is prepared to contribute towards the cost of obtaining these obvious benefits for their own residents”.

The advice service operates from five different locations: Community Council Offices, Cartrefle, Cefn Road; St Peter’s Hall, Smithfield Road; Caia Park Centre, Prince Charles Road; Hightown Clinic and Spring Lodge Community House, St Giles Crescent. The number of weekly sessions, now 17, reflects the increasing demand for the service.