Published: 25 May 2007
Union condemns rural jobcentre closure plans
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has warned that the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) are turning their back on rural communities, as it emerged recently that twenty six rural jobcentres across five English counties are under threat of closure.
The warning comes as a six week consultation by the DWP over the closure of the offices located in Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall and Cumbria gets underway.
The news follows the recent announcement to close 2,500 post offices, many of which are based in rural areas, and will lead to people facing unacceptable distances of travel to get help back into work.
Over six hundred jobcentres and benefit offices have already closed over the last three years leading to union fears that more extensive closures in rural areas will follow hitting service delivery.
The jobcentres threatened with closure are:
|
Dorset and Somerset |
- Burnham-on-Sea
- Chard
- Christchurch
- Dorchester
- Shaftsbury
- Wareham
- Wimbourne
|
|
Devon and Cornwal |
- Axminster
- Cambourne
- Exmouth
- Hayle
- Helston
- Ilfracombe
- Kingsbridge
- Looe
|
- Oakhampton
- Plympton
- Saltash
- Sidmouth
- St. Ives
- Tavistock
- Wadebridge
|
|
Cumbria
- Cockermouth
- Keswick
- Millon
- Ulverston
|
The office closures come against the backdrop of an ongoing national dispute with the government and civil service management over job cuts, below inflation pay and privatisation, which has already seen two national civil service wide strikes.
Commenting, Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said:
“Office closures and job cuts have already led to people finding it more difficult and having to travel further to get help back into work.
The closure of these offices will undoubtedly lead to people wanting to get back into work having to travel unacceptable distances to get help.
With hundreds of jobcentres and benefits offices already closed in urban areas, the fear is that this first wave of consultations marks the beginning of a wider closure programme of jobcentres in rural communities.
The government and the DWP are in danger of turning their back on rural communities in the race to cut costs and slash jobs.
The government and department need to recognise that importance of the roll these jobcentres play in getting people back into to work and halt their closure.”
Further information
Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
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