A decision by the Department for Work and Pensions to move 225 jobs from Caerphilly town to a new centre in Treforest has been criticised by the Public and Commercial Services Union, who say staff could end up losing their jobs.
The DWP have announced that five of its offices across South Wales will close, with a total of 1,700 staff centralised at a new site on Treforest Industrial Estate. In addition to Caerphilly Benefits Centre, on Claude Road, the other offices to close are: Merthyr Benefit Centre (262 staff); Cwmbran Pension Centre (171 staff); Newport Benefit Centre (365 staff); Gabalfa, Cardiff (714 staff).
The UK Government has signed a 25-year lease for the building, which will house back office staff, and claim it will be “cost effective for taxpayers” when it opens in 2021.
The PCS however has said it will take work out of local communities where “every job is needed”.
PCS Wales Chair Katrine Williams said: “The government’s drive for concentration of civil service work into huge hubs is devastating jobs in local communities across the UK. This has an even worse impact in Wales with our smaller urban centres and the geography.
“DWP management have paid scant attention to the need for jobs in local communities across South Wales, despite being responsible for helping the unemployed back into work in these areas.
“The closure of sites will have a devastating impact on the future of these towns. There is no understanding of the public transport issues involved in travelling across the Valleys, or the congestion problems.
“Our members have decades of experience in delivering benefits and services to pensioners, the unemployed and sick and disabled claimants. DWP management are apparently prepared to throw this expertise away, given that up to half the staff would be unable to move with the work. This is at a time when staffing levels are at an all-time low and the pressure on our members is enormous.
“It is disgraceful that senior DWP management have ignored union concerns about retaining local jobs and providing a sustainable future for our communities and is prepared to put our members at risk of redundancy for a vanity hub project.”
Caerphilly Assembly Member Hefin David backed the PCS union’s stance and said: “The DWP’s own figures show a third of staff fall outside the reasonable mobility to travel category. However, the PCS Union rightly highlight the many staff members who have extensive caring responsibilities. How is relocating Caerphilly Benefits Centre to Treforest going to help my constituents with caring responsibilities?
“Taking 225 jobs out of Caerphilly will undoubtedly have negative impacts on the town centre at a time when the Local Authority is trying to improve the local economy.”
Morgan Jones ward councillor James Pritchard said he’s supporting the PCS Union in their opposition to relocate Caerphilly Benefit Centre to Treforest and said the decision had no regard for the impact on the town.
He said: “The Tory government’s relocation will reduce footfall in the town at a time when the local authority is consulting on regeneration ideas through the Caerphilly Basin Masterplan. The PCS union and Caerphilly employees must be supported.”
DWP Secretary of State Esther McVey said: “This new space brings talented colleagues together under one roof – harnessing local expertise and promoting closer working relationships that will benefit claimants. It’s also further demonstration of the UK Government’s continued commitment to investing in jobs and infrastructure in Wales.”
A DWP spokeswoman said: “While we hope that all staff will relocate to the new site, we will be looking at alternative roles for those who are unable to move with their current work.”
This decision seems daft to me, we need local offices not just for conveniebce but for the local economy. People who work in the town spend money in the town, visiting the cafe, buying a few items for home use and so on. We lose this as well as hundreds of jobs in the town centre.
The problem is the powers that be not only do not take these factors into account – they do not care as it does not impact on them.
It’s no wonder that many of our town centres are declining.
How true, how depressing.
Bad news for caerphilly like you said caerphilly is dieing.
Well the block will be sold and turned into flats.
Law courts… Closed
Police station…. closed
Now this what’s next.
Fire station would be my guess Jack.
Not to mention all the post offices and banks that we’ve lost………..and I think we are all in agreement that once we lose these facilities they will never return.
Sadly and with a very very heavy heart, I will say that the time of the town centre has ended, we are now on to the next stage of shopping malls and retail parks. Our banking will all be done on line, something I hate, I like to go into my local bank and speak to people about my money, not a screen. The only on line thing I like is shopping, because of my age I have it delivered. The time will come that our town centres will be coffee shops and beauty parlours.
As the now widower husband of Yvonne Wolfenden
Who used to work at block three in Galblfa
Nothing suprized is the attude of the managerial staff of the DWP.
Once again not consulted the staff who are going to be effective by the move.
More stress which is a lot of the reason why Yvonne had a vision stroke in work two more at home and died in hospital in 2018 , yes I’m very very angry with the DWP and their ways they don’t assist the staff
Any employer is supposed to do reasonable adjustments for the staff , and consultation with the staff and union at the same time, to find out if there are any issues and how the employer can assist the employee’s with the move , but as usual they don’t.