OTLEY’S Citizens Advice Bureau could be closed or “severely” pared back under a city-wide review.

Leeds CAB has unveiled plans to “reconfigure” its services so they would be provided from just three, instead of five, branches.

The organisation says the shake-up would allow it to “significantly improve access to advice for the citizens of Leeds”, doubling the numbers of people helped per year to 40,000 by 2017.

But chief executive Dianne Lyons acknowledges that those improvements can only be made by pooling resources - and cutting the number of bureaux.

Local politicians fear the proposals could see a much-needed service removed from town.

Councillor Colin Campbell (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) said: “It would appear that if it is not going to close then services at the Otley centre are to be severely curtailed.

“As someone who was involved in getting the funding which started the office I am appalled that the city should be saying, in effect, that people of Wharfedale do not have enough problems to benefit from an advice service.

“One only has to look at the demand in the Otley office to see this is untrue, and though there may be issues in other parts of Leeds they should not be tackled by removing facilities from the town.

“The CAB has been a lifeline to hundreds of local people and a decision to move the service into Leeds would make it out of reach to many and cause major hardship.”

Otley Town Council leader Councillor John Eveleigh (Lab, Ashfield) added: “Over the past three years the town council has put additional money in to Otley CAB to fund specific initiatives like the highly successful Fuel Poverty Campaign and additional sessions to address the Draconian attack by the Government on the most vulnerable in our community.

“We are very concerned by the potential implications of a review to Otley CAB, and will be seeking an early meeting with the chief executive of Leeds CAB and her team.

“However, people should be under no illusions that the enormous pressure on these types of services is a direct result of Government cutbacks and of our MP voting for those cuts.”

Leeds CAB says the the reorganisation would also incorporate changes to how advice is delivered, to reflect a growing demand for telephone and online assistance.

Ms Lyons said: “While Leeds City Council is continuing to give significant support, given the ongoing pressures on public spending any further increase to client numbers can only come from reconfiguring existing provision.

“We currently have five bureaux - in the city centre, Crossgates, Morley, Otley and Pudsey. Local staff and volunteers have done tremendous work in maintaining these services but resources have been increasingly stretched.

“By pooling our resources, however, we could run advice services from three bureaux (including Chapeltown CAB), all open at least five days a week, 9am to 5pm.”

She added that outreach services would also be delivered locally from more than 40 venues including Children’s Centres and GP services.

A consultation will now be carried out. Residents can find out more by e-mailing faqs@leedscab.org.uk.