BANKS and other big businesses should contribute to the funding of the Citizens Advice Bureau in Cirencester, according to a town councillor.

Last week the Standard reported the advice centre in Cricklade Street was closing on Wednesdays following a cut in funding last year.

It had retained its usual level of service using contributions from the Friends of Cirencester CAB charity but managers decided they could not continue depleting reserves and cut opening hours to just four days a week.

But during a recent meeting of Cirencester Town Council's finance committee one councillor suggested local banks should financially support the centre.

The town council agreed to grant the CAB in Cirencester £3,500, but Cllr Margaret Rickman raised the idea of banks helping out as well.

She said: "The commercial organisations are often the root of the problem and often the CAB is left to sort it out.

"The CAB is brilliant but they are so good they have to take on too much. People get great advice and it's really sad they have cut their hours because where do people turn when they are in trouble?

"If you think about it the banks are making lots of money, but people get into debt and the banks turn on them. Where do they turn to? The CAB."

It costs £117,380 a year to run the CAB in Cirencester, the lion's share of which is contributed by Cotswold District Council.

Cirencester CAB debt care supervisor Zig Klavenieks welcomed the idea of banks contributing directly to local centres.

But he said although banks contribute to CAB staff training nationally they would be unlikely to support CABs individually.

He said: "It's a cracking idea if somebody could get it off the ground, but I cannot imagine local banks being interested in funding a local CAB."

In the recent past, however, Halifax in Cheltenham did support the town's CAB on a one-off basis, according to Mr Klavenieks, although it had not happened since.

When the Standard asked Cheltenham & Gloucester about the funding idea, it also doubted if it would be taken up.

Spokesman Melissa Russell said: "It is unlikely we would become involved in the funding of a CAB office although we do regard their work as very valuable in giving customers good advice and support."