THE Barnett government has buckled to weeks of protests and will reinstate some funding for financial counselling.

At a meeting with Cockburn council last week, the WA local government department revealed it would be taking over responsibility for the funding, which would still be slashed from $4.2 million to just $2 million.

Mayor Logan Howlett says while it’s good to see some funding back, what’s offered is inadequate.

“This is unacceptable when there are already waiting lists for appointments for the current number of financial counsellors,” he said.

He says the new cash will likely start flowing mid-October, so there will be an extended gap in services, which could be devastating for many families in financial crisis.

“They can’t wait for a month for an appointment,” he says. The new proposal is yet to go before Cabinet.