Hugh moves to defend job centre

HUGH ROBERTSON ASKS FOR TOWN COUNCIL'S HELP TO FIGHT JOB CENTRE CLOSURE

Hugh Robertson has written to the Town Council asking for their help in the fight to save the town’s Job Centre. His request follows a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions confirming their decision to close the branch.

The only consolation is the announcement of some enhanced service provisions. These include a direct phone line in the Alexander Centre and a face to face service in both the Alexander Centre and the Library for half a day each week. This comes in addition to the existing guarantees to review the new system after 6 months and not to close the Faversham branch until the Sittingbourne office is fully open.

Hugh said: “I am bitterly disappointed by the confirmation of the government’s decision to close Faversham’s Job Centre. It is a desperate blow to the seriously disadvantaged in the town who do not have the skills or the confidence to benefit from the new computerised system.

“The only consolation is the slightly improved service provisions although half a day each week is no substitute for a fully manned office.

“I am prepared to fight this in Parliament. However, if I am to have any chance of success, I need to challenge the government’s figure that only 22 people have been claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance in the town for over six months. I have always felt that this figure is suspiciously low.

“Town councillors – and organisations like our excellent Citizen’s Advice Bureau are best placed to offer me that help. We will need a convincing case to overturn the government’s decision – as we did over the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.”