The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
JobCentre Plus has become the first to officially move in alongside South Holland District Council (SHDC) at the authority’s Priory Road base.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has moved its facility in the town from its previous offices in Westlode Street.
A budget of £350,000 was set aside to alter the ground floor at Priory Road to accommodate JobCentre Plus in April 2017.
The council claimed then that it would provide £42,000 worth of income annually going forward.
It is continuing to speak to other organisations about the potential of moving into Priory Road.
Malcolm Chandler Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Governance and Transformation at South Holland District Council said: “It’s very important to ensure that the office space is put to best, most economically viable, use.
“The council is working to create a community hub to provide frontline services to residents.
“Adding the DWP continues to develop a joined-up approach that will allow staff from related services to share knowledge and experience, in order to better serve residents.”
Paul Carr, operations manager at Jobcentre Plus said: “The move to the Priory Road provides us with an excellent opportunity to work closer with our partners, whilst providing customers with access to the full range of Jobcentre and local authority services under the same roof. The ‘one-stop-shop’ creates an improved experience for customers in a modern and welcoming environment, whilst proving cost effective for the tax payer.
“The changes we are making to our estate across the country will offer a more efficient service, and deliver good value for the taxpayer – saving over £135 million a year, for the next ten years.”
