St Albans website aims to help through recession

CREDIT crunched St Albans residents have a new website to turn to for help thanks to the district council. The council s Recession Response Board, which is currently working on a number of projects, has built the website for people who have been made redu

CREDIT crunched St Albans residents have a new website to turn to for help thanks to the district council.

The council's Recession Response Board, which is currently working on a number of projects, has built the website for people who have been made redundant, fear their home may be repossessed or are experiencing cash flow problems at work.

The website operates as a portal, pointing residents in the direction of council services and other organisations that can offer advice on everything from managing debt to dealing with stress and courses to improve their employment skills

Although relatively prosperous, the district has been greatly affected by the recession, with unemployment for the year ending April 2009 up by 150 per cent.

Cllr Melvyn Teare, portfolio holder for culture and heritage, said that he hoped the website would go some way to improving the situation: "It 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 at www.stalbans.gov.uk/recession or via the home page of the district council's own website www.stalbans.gov.uk, where Recession Advice is one of the In Focus topics.