Kidderminster’s Jobcentre

Kidderminster’s Jobcentre

Kidderminster’s Jobcentre Plus office is to be axed as part of the Department of Work and Pensions shake-up of the service.

The current office in Lower Mill Street will go and the service will be “co-located” into the council's library, in Market Street.

A spokesman for the DWP said staff at the current Kidderminster office will be retained in the restructure.

Kidderminster’s office is one of 50 in the country that are being shut with jobseekers redirected to Government or local council buildings.

Other changes will see the closure of 27 “back office” buildings, merging 78 smaller offices in urban areas with larger ones nearby while retaining more than 700 existing ones.

The DWP said the changes were prompted by the fact many buildings were under-used and the fact long-term lease agreements were coming up for renewal.

Damian Hinds, Minster for Employment said: “We will always make sure that people have the support they need to get into and progress within work, that’s why we are recruiting 2,500 more work coaches to help those who need it most.

“The way the world works has changed rapidly in the last 20 years and the welfare state needs to keep pace.

 “As more people access their benefits through the internet many of our buildings are under-used. We are concentrating our resources on what we know best helps people into work.”

Planning permission for the move was granted by Worcestershire County Council last month. A similar plan has also been agreed for Redditch Jobcentre.

Cllr Rob Adams, Chair of the Planning and Regulatory Committee, said: "The committee is pleased to support this proposal to enable the sharing of library space with other public services.

"This proposal will facilitate the operation of several public services from a single premise, which will be of convenience to the community, and ensure the continued provision of core library services in this location."

Image: Redditch Jobcentre