Residents affected by the recession now have a new website to turn to for help if they have been made redundant, fear their home may be repossessed or their business is experiencing cash flow problems.
The site has been built by St Albans City and District Council working with local partners, such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Centre for Voluntary Service for St Albans District. It operates as a portal, pointing residents in the direction of council services and other organisations, that can offer advice on a range of issues such as employment law, managing debt, availability of state benefits, dealing with stress and courses to help improve their employment skills.
The website is divided into seven key subject areas: employment and skills, housing, finances, benefits, business support, saving money and care, health and wellbeing.
Although St Albans City and District is relatively prosperous, it has still been affected by the recession. Unemployment for the year ending April 2009 increased by 150%, although from a low base. There has also been a 15% increase in the number of enquiries about debt that the Citizens Advice Bureau has received locally across the same period.
Cllr Melvyn Teare, portfolio holder for culture and heritage at St Albans City and District Council, said: “This website should prove to be an invaluable resource for residents and local businesses by providing them with links to organisations offering help and advice in this difficult time.”
The website can be accessed either via this quick link www.stalbans.gov.uk/recession or the home page of St Albans City and District Council’s own website www.stalbans.gov.uk where ‘Recession Advice’ is one of the ‘In Focus’ topics.
The website is just one of a number of projects that the council’s Recession Response Board is working on. It is transferring additional resource to the Citizens Advice Bureau and has launched a campaign reminding residents of their rights to benefits, such as Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. It is also working to ensure that creating a sustainable local economy is a key theme running through the council’s long-term planning strategy for the district which is being launched this month.