Brighton and Hove libraries win funds for personal finance work

Brighton and Hove libraries have won funding to help people manage their finances online.

Library staff will be trained to help people find the most appropriate websites as part of a pilot programme being run nationally.

Brighton and Hove City Council said that its libraries would help to develop a system for training staff which could be used across the country.

The pilot programme is one of eight projects being tested by the Society of Chief Librarians.

The aim of the projects is to help people navigate the range of national information sources available online more effectively.

More than 60 councils are taking part in the eight projects and Arts Council England has awarded Brighton and Hove £7,000 to run its pilot programme in the city.

The pilot programmes started in October and are due to end in March when the council said that it would start operating a special web portal on personal finance.

It said that personal finance was identified as a priority in a national survey and that the council was keen to take part in the pilot to help people through the recession.

Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, the council’s cabinet member for culture, recreation and tourism, said: “It’s a second vote of confidence in our libraries after our recent award from The Guardian for the internet education work we’re doing in libraries.

“Our staff and services have a good reputation nationally and that has been recognised in this pilot scheme.

“For residents it means we’ll be able to help them find out some really useful things online about making their money go further at this difficult time.”