Council furious as job centre to close without consultation
Cambuslang Jobcentre is to close by January with customers and staff transferred to Rutherglen.
- Published
A council have criticised the UK government over plans to shut a job centre in Lanarkshire without consulting local bodies.
Cambuslang Jobcentre is to close by January with customers and staff to be transferred to the Rutherglen centre two miles away.
The facility had previously been threatened with closure in 2017, only for a local campaign manage to keep it open.
Councillors at South Lanarkshire Council said the decision would have a "detrimental impact" on the area, and instructed the local authority's chief executive to protest the move.
Councillor Katy Loudon put forward a motion at a full council meeting condemning the decision, which was unanimously passed.
It said the representatives had noted the news "with deep concern" and it deeply regretted that there was no prior consultation with "elected members, affected communities, service users, DWP unions, or employees".
Ms Loudon said: "It was a huge blow during the summer recess when the news broke that the job centre was under threat again.
"This decision makes absolutely no sense in the case of Cambuslang. Rutherglen is 35 to 40 minutes away by bus from the Greenlees area – it was made without prior consultation with elected members, trade unions or employees. This really is astonishing."
A local petition has picked up hundreds of signatures, while Cambuslang Community Council have also protested the move, saying it would have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable people.
Rutherglen South councillor Carol Nugent, seconding the motion, said the repercussions of the closure would go beyond Cambuslang and affect surrounding areas as well.
The motion garnered cross-party support.
Labour councillor Margaret Walker said there was nothing to justify the closure and it would have a "detrimental impact" on the people of Cambuslang.
Liberal Democrat councillor Norman Rae added : "The closure would have a significant impact on the town centre and those who access the Jobcentre. I wrote to the DWP but have not had a substantive reply."