DIDCOT Citizens Advice Bureau says the town council has left it frustrated, upset and in financial difficulty after its eviction from the Civic Hall.

The council has now said it will pay £14,400 compensation to the bureau after it was served an eviction notice in May to leave the rent-free premises by November.

The service has been squeezed out by the £1.3m renovation of the hall.

The CAB is now left with the task of raising £50,000 to refurbish its new site in the Dale’s building, in High Street, before it has to vacate its rooms at the Civic Hall.

Manager Judith Abela said the bureau’s running costs would increase by £14,000 a year.

She said: “It has been very upsetting for the staff and volunteers.

“And we are in the situation now where we really do not know what sort of service we will be able to provide once we move into the new premises.

“We have been very frustrated about the lack of communication from the council – a lot of this could have been avoided if they had actually involved us in the decision from the beginning.”

She added: “They have been our landlords for 15 years and they should have been very aware of their legal obligations.

“The compensation should not have come as a surprise.”

Town council Labour group leader Margaret Davies said the situation could have been avoided.

She said: “They should not have made the decision to evict them. They have cost taxpayers £14,400 to negate a service.”

She added: “My concern is for the visitors of the CAB at this time.

“More and more people are needing the service and it will be in turmoil.

“I have never heard a sound reason as to why the ruling group needed to do it.

“It is a waste that could have been spent on something much more positive and much more constructive.”

Council leader Bill Service said the claim was “galling”.

He said: “When the council decided that the Civic Hall should be bettered after 25 years we consulted with lots of people and the rooms that the CAB were offered were too small.

“They were not evicted; they were just not invited back.”

He added: “But we were left in the situation because the Labour administration had not renewed their lease seven years ago. They had squatters’ rights.”

The compensation was not budgeted for and will come out of reserves.