Council Anger Over Threatened Job Centre Closure

DWP intending to shut Southall branch before March next year

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Proposals to close Southall job centre - which has some of the highest areas of unemployment in the borough - have been condemned by Ealing's Council Leader.

Councillor Julian Bell, and Councillor Peter Mason, cabinet member for prosperity, skills, employment and transformation, have written for the second time to Damian Hinds MP, Minister of State for Employment, demanding he reconsider the decision.

Southall Job Centre

They cited Southall’s high levels of unemployment ( 8% in Norwood Green) and deprivation alongside the area’s distinct local economy, large numbers of non-English speaking residents and higher-than-average numbers of residents without formal qualifications. They fear that local people will lose out on jobs as a result of the closure.

Councillor Bell said: “This decision makes no sense at all. The Department for Work and Pensions is ripping out a valuable source of support and employment opportunities from the heart of a community that needs it the most and the minister is overseeing it. After the closure, some of our most deprived residents will be forced to travel up to eight miles to attend a Jobcentre. How does this make sense?

“We raised our concerns with the minister in February and they were, frankly, dismissed. Our request to meet with him to discuss the impact of the closure on our residents was also rebuffed and now we find ourselves in a position where the closure will go ahead, without a proper discussion with those who best comprehend the impact of this decision on local people.”

In his reply, Mr Hinds said the increased use of online services and ' falling claimant count' meant money was being wasted paying for rental space that wasn't being used.He said staff would be relocated to Acton and Ealing jobcentres before March 2018.

Councillor Mason added, “We are now urging the minister to stop and think again. This kind of decision can’t just be made on the basis of a paper exercise at a desk in Whitehall, when it is going to hit real people hard in Southall. They must take time to come to Southall, and see for themselves the lasting damage the closure of our Jobcentre will have on the local community. The minister must change his plans.”

 

18th July 2017

 

 

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