Givan challenged on offices

Givan challenged on offices

21 September 2016

THE future of two of the district’s Social Security offices will be discussed at a meeting in Stormont next week.

Strangford MP Jim Shannon and Rowallane councillor Billy Walker are due to meet with Communities Minister Paul Givan next Monday to discuss the future of offices in Ballynahinch and Newcastle where staff discovered recently that their bases had been earmarked for potential closure.

The revelation came in a management document that appeared to have been accidentally placed on the staff intranet and while a message to staff later clarified the document was based on draft proposals for the future structure of the local office network and stressed no decisions had been taken, employees and local politicians remain concerned.

Last July, 15 employees of the Social Security office at Mount Crescent in Downpatrick were told that their office, which deals with the Social Fund, will move to Lisburn, Dungannon or Antrim. 

Next week’s Stormont meeting is the first of two to be held with Mr Givan on the future of the local offices as Newry, Mourne and Down Council is also seeking to hold talks with the minister on the issue.

Mr Shannon and councillor Walker intend to highlight the major impact closing offices and reducing staff numbers at others will have on claimants and those who provide such a vital frontline service.

Councillor Walker said politicians “totally oppose” plans for the local offices which deal with hundreds of claimants on a monthly basis. He said many claimants rely on staff for one-to-one help and claimed if the closure plan is agreed, many people will be unable to travel outside the district to meet Social Security staff to have their claims processed.

The Rowallane councillor said benefit office staff provide an “invaluable service” to people, many of whom are particularly vulnerable. He argued the number of claimants in the areas served by offices in Ballynahinch, Newcastle and Downpatrick merits them not only remaining open, but a full complement of staff retained in each to help those in need.

“Our local offices must remain open, given the invaluable service they provide. These offices play a central role at the heart of the community and cannot be closed. There is no rhyme or reason for doing so,” declared councillor Walker.

He added: “We have vulnerable people across our district who rely heavily on Social Security staff who provide a much-valued frontline service. Transferring staff out of the district and closing offices will impact on people who find themselves in the most difficult of circumstances.

“Many cannot afford to travel out of the area to meet with staff who process their claims. These people need face-to-face attention and the service they rely on at their local benefits office must be retained.”