Credit crunch advice bus takes to streets

COUNCIL leader Howard Sykes launches the credit crunch campaign bus with the help of his colourful friends

OLDHAM Council is taking to the road to combat the credit crunch and to help struggling families battle their way through the recession.

A Credit Crunch Bus, parked outside Spindles in Oldham’s town centre all this week is the vehicle that council chiefs hope will carry local people through the tough times.

Council leader Howard Sykes opened the credit crunch campaign yesterday saying that he is convinced Oldham can survive the recession and come out the other side, “thriving and a strong, confident and proud borough”.

On board the bus, local people can find out about a new job, gaining new skills, housing benefits, help with childcare and answers to many pressing problems.

Councillor Sykes said: “We are determined to help people through the credit crunch. We know it sometimes isn’t easy to find the advice you need, so we have brought it to you.”

The bus will be in the town centre until Saturday evening and then will move across the borough taking help and advice from organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau, Highway to Opportunities, Family Information Service, Shaw Trust, Unity Partnership, and the Lifelong Learning team to plot a route through the difficult times.

“All of these organisations play such a vital role during difficult times like these so please come and talk to them,” said Councillor Sykes.

On its first day the Credit Crunch Bus, backed up by Oldham Play Action Group, which provided entertainment for children while their parents sought advice, offered help and advice to a good many local people. Among them was 33-year-old Sandra Green who has only recently been made redundant and wanted advice on Job Seeker’s Allowance. Before the roadshow she admitted that she didn’t know where to go.

Councillor Sykes announced that, as part of the credit crunch campaign, the Cabinet will provide additional support to the Citizens Advice Bureau where waiting times for debt advice have increased from less than two weeks in November last year to six weeks this. The council’s Credit Crunch Cabinet has provided additional funding, enabling CAB to recruit two casework support officers which has reduced waiting times to two weeks.