Kirklees help centre closures would hit vulnerable people hardest - union

The centres offer advice on issues including council tax, housing benefit and disabled travel

The proposed closure of two council-run customer help centres would hit vulnerable and elderly residents the hardest, a union has warned.

In February, Kirklees Council announced plans to close its customer support facilities in Huddersfield and Dewsbury as it tried to save £34.5m.

Unison said this would be "incredibly damaging" and mean the loss of more than 40 jobs.

The council said it would integrate the service into its libraries.

Kirklees Council's Huddersfield customer service centre is based at the Civic Centre in Market Street, while the Dewsbury centre has moved into the town's library due to maintenance works at its original site.

The centres provide advice on issues including council tax, housing benefit and disabled travel.

Speaking in February, deputy council leader Paul Davies said the closure plans were set against "a world of challenging local government finances".

A council spokesperson told the BBC it was "responding to the changing way that people access services" so the new library-based system would allow better access to online or phone support.

Face-to-face help would also be available, they said.

The spokesperson added: "The approach in each library will reflect the local community, and we will look to explore what support can be offered in response to need, such as dedicated 'clinics' offering help to apply for a blue badge or carers' support."

Unison said there were still hundreds of vulnerable people who would benefit from face-to-face meetings

However Kath Mchendry, Unison's convener of adult services. said there were "still hundreds of vulnerable people each month" who needed face-to-face services and the library staff would have to take on extra work.

She said: "They're not going to be able to sit down and say 'let's sort your problem out'.

"They're going to guide them to a phone or a PC and say 'do it by this'.

"Yes there will be someone in the library but they're not going to sit down with them."

Ms Mchendry also said it was not just "little old ladies aged 86" who may not be able to go online - it may be a teenager with mental health issues who needed the "reassurance" of a face-to-face meeting.

Unison said its staff were now being asked if they would be prepared to take strike action over the plans.

With regards to the potential job losses the centre closures could cause, Kirklees Council said: "We hope to minimise the impact on employees where possible by managing vacant posts and supporting staff to move into other roles within the council."