CITIZENS Advice Bureau volunteers are furious after the district council failed to back plans to improve the service.

Chiltern District Council claimed the scheme was unsustainable but volunteers say their morale has suffered a massive blow.

The bureau, based in The Market Square, Chesham, wanted to build a new drop-in centre attached to Chesham library to offer money advice, welfare rights and home visiting services.

Ron Freeman, joint district manager of the bureau, said the opportunity had been lost because the council had not supported the project.

He said the council has frozen its grant to the CAB, and decided not to help them with the additional costs put on the CAB by the introduction of Community Legal Services.

Mr Freeman said: "I am particularly disappointed by the Chiltern District Council's actions because we had been in discussions with the council for a long time on ways in which we could improve our service to the public.

"We had believed that the council was very supportive of our proposals and therefore this decision has come as a complete shock."

He added: "The council's decision means that a tremendous opportunity has been lost.

"It also represents a severe blow to the morale of our volunteers who have shown great commitment to the bureau and have freely given their time in the service of local people."

A spokesman for the council said the CAB is proposing an increase of £18,000 over its current budget.

He said the council is proposing a standstill budget of £150,905, to guarantee the existing level of support. The support from the council will continue at the rate of approximately £3,000 per week.

Cllr Peter Lole, chairman of the council's policy and finance committee, said: "We greatly value the services the CAB provide locally.

"However, we have to take a responsible attitude to spending public money, and an increase of the scale that the CAB were proposing is unacceptable.

"Upon submitting their proposal to the council, the business plan was unsustainable and as this is the largest grant which the council make out of public funds, we have a fiduciary duty to ensure that those receiving grants only spend in a responsible and properly accountable manner."