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Published:
January 17, 2008
Government announces
closure of Burnham-On-Sea job centre
Burnham-On-Sea's
job centre is to close later this year, it was announced on Thursday
afternoon (January 17th).
Somerset
County Council has already expressed its "serious concerns"
about the government's announcement that both the Chard and Burnham
Job Centre Plus sites will shut as part
of a "modernisation" programme by the Department of
Work and Pensions (DWP).
Last
year, the County Council voiced its opposition to the two proposed
closures during the DWP’s consultation exercise.
Jill
Shortland, Leader of Somerset County Council, said in a statement
on Thursday afternoon: "Somerset County Council is extremely
disappointed about the Government's decision to close these important
Job Centre Plus offices."
"It
demonstrates a lack of understanding of the economic and social
realities of life in Somerset and is misconceived financially:
any savings must be offset against additional costs to the public
purse and some of our most vulnerable members of society from
lost employment opportunities."
"While
Somerset County Council is working with Job Centre Plus in Burnham
to look at alternative provision, we remain deeply concerned about
the implications of this decision."
A
campaign was launched last year to try and save the job centre
from closure. Highbridge councillor Joe Leach led that campaign
and told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "I am very disappointed by this
news."
"We
are still working with the County Council to try and keep it open.
There may well be a solution here yet."
RELATED
LINKS:
Campaign
launched to save Burnham job centre
Burnham
job centre 'could close'
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