Law Centre to close

OLDHAM Law Centre faces “imminent closure” after appointing liquidators.

The centre, which has provided free legal advice for Oldhamers for almost a quarter of a century, is in the legal processes of winding-up.

The Chronicle reported last week how the five-strong staff had not been paid since October and had serious worries of the doors closing for the final time.

The centre’s turmoil began when it lost out on a bidding war for a council contract to the Citizens Advice Bureau last year.

Paul Johnson, supervising solicitor at the Bridge Street centre, said: “I have repeatedly called on Oldham Council to sit down with all those involved in the provision of legal services in the borough and to identify the legal needs of the people.

“It is clear that Oldham Council cannot fund everything, but these crude cuts have resulted in the borough’s specialist legal service facing imminent closure, with nothing to replace it.”

Leader of the council, Councillor Jim McMahon announced the budget for legal and advice provision had been reduced, as have many other services funded by the council, whose budget was set earlier this month to save £24million in the coming financial year.

Mr Johnson added: “The law centre is currently the only voluntary sector organisation in the borough with contracts with the Legal Services Commission to provide services in employment law and immigration and asylum law.

“Those contracts will now be relinquished.

“There is no doubt that many people who would previously have been able to receive representation at tribunals and in courts from the Law Centre will not now have those services available to them.”

The council chief told the Chronicle that it is “misleading and alarmist” to claim that residents will have no access to representation or support.