Council in bid to stop Cookstown Job Centre closure

The council is to make a bit to halt the closure of Cookstown Social Security Office and Job Centre.

It’s written to Minister for Communities, Paul Givan, MLA, to seek an urgent meeting to discuss the closure proposals.

The council will also ask the Department to suspend the consultation process until the Rural Proofing study has been completed.

The Department is currently holding a consultation exercise.

This ends on Sunday, November 13.

If proposals go ahead, then face to face services will relocate to branches in Dungannon and Magherafelt.

Chairman of Mid Ulster District Council, Cllr. Trevor Wilson says a move would deprive some of the most vulnerable and needy in our society of accessible, face to face support.

“The introduction of the Universal Tax Credit system which will see six working age benefits going into one, will mean that eventually the proposals will impact on the vast majority of the Cookstown area’s population.

He says the limited access to suitable public transport will create additional burdens on vulnerable people.

“People living in poverty, including the ‘working poor’ may be unable to access services online, and those vulnerable groups within our society may find online services inaccessible in terms of understanding the new processes,” he explains.

He says rural broadband connectivity is an issue which has yet to be resolved, leading to patchy provision in the hinterlands of Mid Ulster, which will directly impact on the access to support if proposal are put in place.

The Council is encouraging individuals and groups affected to respond to the consultation at https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-proposals-close-cookstown-social-security-office-and-cookstown-jobcentre before the closing date of Sunday 13th November.