Agenda item

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Julie Dore

That this Council:-

 

(a)       opposes the decision to close Eastern Avenue Jobcentre on the basis of accessibility, capacity, impact on the community and inadequate departmental analysis & assessment of the impact itself;

 

(b)       believes that the process by which these proposals have been announced do not stand alone from the decision itself, with the initial decision having been made without conducting an impact assessment and without a clear picture of those individual claimants or future claimants whom it is likely to affect; including extremely vulnerable claimants with disabilities and mental health problems;

 

(c)        is concerned that the proposals are putting 70 jobs at risk and believes there are major concerns about whether claimants will be as well supported by a newly reconfigured service, with the local office potentially much further afield for claimants;

 

(d)       believes that even if these jobs are relocated, the changes to the service will take a large amount of workers out of the local community at Manor Top and this will impact on the area and local businesses;

 

(e)       notes that this Administration is vocal in its opposition to the damaging impact the closure of the Jobcentre could have on how vital employment support is provided, and believes that there is a need for these services to be as close to people as possible and yet the proposals do nothing for forming a serious joined-up strategy of how employment services should be run;

 

(f)        believes the proposed closure of Eastern Avenue Jobcentre is a bad decision by this Government and one which will become evidently worse as Universal Credit continues to be rolled out, as people who are in work will have to attend interviews at Jobcentres; and notes that, as such, councillors from this Administration have called on the Government to reconsider its decision; and furthermore, offers full support and solidarity to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) in its campaign to keep the Centre open; and

 

(g)       notes that the public consultation has recently finished and that all nine Labour Councillors who represent the communities most affected – Park and Arbourthorne, Manor Castle and Richmond - submitted their objections to the plans, and hopes the Government takes heed of their advice and reconsiders those plans.

 

Minutes:

 

Proposed Closure Of Eastern Avenue Jobcentre

 

 

12.1

RESOLVED: On the Motion of Councillor Julie Dore, seconded by Councillor Dianne Hurst, that this Council:-

 

(a)       opposes the decision to close Eastern Avenue Jobcentre on the basis of accessibility, capacity, impact on the community and inadequate departmental analysis & assessment of the impact itself;

 

(b)       believes that the process by which these proposals have been announced do not stand alone from the decision itself, with the initial decision having been made without conducting an impact assessment and without a clear picture of those individual claimants or future claimants whom it is likely to affect; including extremely vulnerable claimants with disabilities and mental health problems;

 

(c)        is concerned that the proposals are putting 70 jobs at risk and believes there are major concerns about whether claimants will be as well supported by a newly reconfigured service, with the local office potentially much further afield for claimants;

 

(d)       believes that even if these jobs are relocated, the changes to the service will take a large amount of workers out of the local community at Manor Top and this will impact on the area and local businesses;

 

(e)       notes that this Administration is vocal in its opposition to the damaging impact the closure of the Jobcentre could have on how vital employment support is provided, and believes that there is a need for these services to be as close to people as possible and yet the proposals do nothing for forming a serious joined-up strategy of how employment services should be run;

 

(f)        believes the proposed closure of Eastern Avenue Jobcentre is a bad decision by this Government and one which will become evidently worse as Universal Credit continues to be rolled out, as people who are in work will have to attend interviews at Jobcentres; and notes that, as such, councillors from this Administration have called on the Government to reconsider its decision; and furthermore, offers full support and solidarity to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) in its campaign to keep the Centre open; and

 

(g)       notes that the public consultation has recently finished and that all nine Labour Councillors who represent the communities most affected – Park and Arbourthorne, Manor Castle and Richmond - submitted their objections to the plans, and hopes the Government takes heed of their advice and reconsiders those plans.

 

 

 

12.1.1

The votes on the Motion were ordered to be recorded and were as follows:-

 

 

 

For the Motion (50)

-

The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Anne Murphy) and Councillors Helen Mirfin-Boukouris, Chris Rosling-Josephs, Ian Saunders, Karen McGowan, Michelle Cook, Kieran Harpham, Talib Hussain, Mark Jones, Craig Gamble Pugh, Mazher Iqbal, Mary Lea, Zahira Naz, Andy Bainbridge, Steve Wilson, Abdul Khayum, Alan Law, Abtisam Mohamed, Lewis Dagnall, Cate McDonald, Chris Peace, Bob Johnson, George Lindars-Hammond, Josie Paszek, Lisa Banes, Terry Fox, Pat Midgley, David Barker, Tony Downing, Mohammad Maroof, Julie Dore, Ben Miskell, Jack Scott, Mike Drabble, Dianne Hurst, Peter Rippon, Dawn Dale, Peter Price, Garry Weatherall, Tony Damms, Jayne Dunn, Richard Crowther, Olivia Blake, Ben Curran, Neale Gibson, Adam Hurst, Zoe Sykes, Mick Rooney, Jackie Satur and Paul Wood.

 

 

 

 

 

Against the Motion (0)

-

Nil

 

 

 

 

 

Abstained on the Motion (0)

-

Nil

 

 

12.2

(NOTE: In the absence of a mover for the amendment, Amendment Number 5 on the list of amendments circulated at the meeting, was not considered by the Council.)