Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood has slammed the Westminster Coalition Government for their “short-sighted” decision to close a Jobcentre in the Welsh capital.
The Westminster Coalition Government has announced proposals to close the centre in Caradog House in St Andrews Place, Cardiff, along with 19 other Jobcentres across the UK. According to local management within the Department of Work and Pensions, the closure will not result in any job losses as all staff will be transferred to the Jobcentres on Charles Street and Alexandra House.
South Wales Central AM Ms Wood, who chairs the cross-party PCS group in the Assembly, said forcing staff from three Jobcentres into two will leave no room for expansion in the future.
She said:
“This is a short-sighted decision by Cameron and his cabinet of millionaires. If they were serious about getting people off benefits and back into work – as they often repeat – the three Jobcentres in the Welsh capital must surely be fully-staffed and invested in?
“To weaken provision in the Jobcentre network contradicts the stated prime priorities of the Conservative Lib-Dem Coalition, which is job creation and getting people off benefits and into work.
“If the closure goes ahead any capacity for expansion in the Jobcentre service in Cardiff will be removed. The service provided to people who are out-of-work in the capital is about to be considerably weakened.”
Ms Wood added:
“Once again we have seen a decision made in London which risks undermining policy aims in Wales to reduce unemployment and the reduce poverty, particularly child poverty.
“Carwyn Jones and his minority Labour Government were elected on a pledge to stand-up for Wales. I hope the Welsh government will therefore make strong representations to ministers in London, making sure they fully understand how their short-sighted policies are hampering efforts to eliminate poverty and increase employment in Wales. Both problems are particularly acute and getting worse.
“Given that there will be a six-week consultation process on the proposed Jobcentre closures, it’s vital that this issue does not get lost in the First Minister’s in-tray during the summer recess.”
