LEIGH Citizens' Advice Bureau is to close at the end of June after 24 successful years in the town.

The shock decision was made after the financial backers -- Wigan Council and the Legal Services Commission -- called for the centre to merge with the Wigan branch so the whole borough would receive a better spread of funding.

Following a failed appeal to sponsors to reconsider the Leigh Board of Trustees decided on the shut down date to protect the legal contract and settle the minds of the 13 paid staff and 30 volunteer advisers.

Uncertain situation

Manager at the Bureau since 2001, Mark Pilling, who has been with the Leigh office for 16 years, said: "We didn't want to put funding at risk. It was a very uncertain situation and Leigh was going to be affected whatever decision was taken.

"It is now possible that Wigan CAB will come in a provide a service. The whole borough will benefit but Leigh will suffer because the service will be reduced.

He said: "Thanks to former manager Christine Garner, who received the MBE for her services, Leigh CAB, which is a limited company and registered charity, was good at drawing money in.

Last year it received £320,000 funding, as much as the Wigan CAB which also covers Atherton, Hindley and Ashton, and dealt with 22,000 inquiries.

Mark said: "Leigh on its own gets a lot of funding but the backers want it spread more evenly around the borough."

Leigh MP Andy Burnham is seeking assurances that standards will be maintained.

He said: "Sadly it seems the decision to close has already been taken. The first concern is the service levels the public will have and the second the representation on the board for the Leigh side of the borough.

"My office works closely with this very valued service and we should have a Wigan and Leigh Citizens' Advice Bureau. I do intent to raise the matter with the national CAB."

A council spokesman said: "We are currently working together with the LSC and the local and regional Citizens Advice Services to ensure that services in Leigh continue. We are committed to sustaining our current level of support for advice work in the area."