Council bosses have come to the rescue of the Citizens Advice Bureau and Credit Union.

Councillors agreed to hand East Ayrshire Citizens Advice Bureau £75,000 and give the Credit Union free rent for a year at last week’s cabinet meeting.

The area’s citizens advice team has faced a higher workload due to the impact of Universal Credit over the past couple of years.

Councillors at an East Ayrshire Council cabinet meeting heard the bureau would use the cash to help those most in need.

A council report said the bureau “provide much-needed support and advice, particularly to those within our communities who have been impacted by welfare reform.”

The council met with the bureau to discuss its finances and made the decision to make a cash injection.

The report said: “The review found that it would be helpful to provide some additional funding in 2019/20 to enable the Bureau to deal with the remaining pressures.”

The Credit Union rents premises up in Kilmarnock from the council for £9,000.

Councillors sitting on cabinet last week approved the abatement of the rent for a year.

The council report said: “The board has asked if the annual rent charge could be abated for one year to give the board some time to review the development work taking place.”