Warwickshire News Mine

Eleven major social welfare law providers in Warwickshire have been brought together to form the Legal Advice Warwickshire (LAW) Partnership, which launches on Friday (26th February).

The new partnership will provide a co-ordinated general and specialist legal advice service for local people who are experiencing a range of problems. 

Speakers including Bill Olner MP for Nuneaton, Alan Farnell, Leader of Warwickshire County Council and Mark Ryder, who is Head of Warwickshire Trading Standards and a LAW partner, will be at the launch of the LAW Partnership at the Ivor Preece Centre at Broad Street Rugby Club, Binley Woods.

The new partnership has been launched with the aid of a grant from the Big Lottery Fund. Thanks to this, a single number advice line for general legal advice - 0844 855 2322 – which links the major Citizens Advice Bureaux offices in the county has been set up, and each borough and district in Warwickshire will have local legal advice access points.

The combination of face-to-face advice, telephone advice, email advice and information on the internet at the LAW website, http://www.legaladvicewarwickshire.gov.uk, will give first steps guidance to people who need it. If the problem or issue is complex, the matter can be transferred seamlessly to a LAW partner organisation for more in-depth help.

David Gooding, District Manager of Bedworth, Rugby & Nuneaton Citizens Advice Bureau said: “We are seeing unprecedented demand for our services from people suffering the effect of the economic downturn and by working together we can increase access to advice services and get people to the best source of help with the minimum of inconvenience.”

He added that he sees LAW becoming the first port of call of choice for Warwickshire residents who need advice on issues concerning social welfare law. The partnership will work towards legal advice services being made available consistently across the county.

Plans to recruit and train more volunteer general advisers and to develop electronic referral links between partner organisations and other community groups are also in the pipeline. This will further increase access to legal advice services across the county and ensure people can access the appropriate help when and where they need it.

The LAW website gives further details of partners, services available and how to access them at http://www.legaladvicewarwickshire.gov.uk. 

Legal Advice Warwickshire (LAW) Partners include the Citizens Advice Bureaux operating in Warwickshire, LDJ Solicitors, Warwickshire Trading Standards, Coventry & Warwickshire Family Mediation Service, Doorway, Warwickshire Employment Rights Service, Warwickshire Race Equality Partnership and Warwickshire Welfare Rights Advice Service.

Link to WCC