Residents who need legal advice on a range of social issues should get a more co-ordinated service thanks to this week's launch of the borough's first legal service partnership.
The aim is to provide better co-ordination of advice to people on subjects such as housing, debts, employment, welfare benefits, mental health, consumer issues and immigration.
Although Croydon Council and other agencies fund much of this already, the authority wants to be more certain that access is freely available to some of the borough's most socially excluded communities.
The first task of the partnership will be to draw up a strategic plan mapping out existing supply of social welfare law advice, identifying gaps in provision and then recommending the action required to provide a comprehensive, borough-wide service.
Said cabinet member for equalities and community partnerships, Councillor Mary Walker: "The idea of the partnership is initially to clarify and co-ordinate advice on social welfare law issues in the borough and then to ensure that people know where they can go for help."
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