MONMOUTH Jobcentre is to close within the next eight weeks, shocked townspeople and politicians have been told. The announcement has been made in a letter to local MP., David Davies, who accused those involved in making othe decision of "treating the people of Monmouth with contempt". In the letter, from Ian Williams District Manager, Jobcentre Plus, the MP was reminded that he had been informed nearly a year ago of the suggested closure of the Monmouth Jobcentre Plus, with the relocation of services into the Abergavenny Jobcentre Plus Office. "After a period of consultation with key stakeholders I can now confirm that we have received Ministerial agreement and will be closing the Monmouth Jobcentre from Monday, March 5" said Mr Williams. "From that date customers will be required to attend our Abergavenny Jobcentre to make claims for working age benefits and customers seeking Jobseekers Allowance will be required to attend each fornight. "For some customers there may be other offices in our network that are more convenient for them to attend, such as Chepstow or Coleford". Mr Williams' letter added: "We are in negotiations with one of our partners to provide a telephone point to access our services, which will be in place before the Monmouth Jobcentre closes. This is likely to be in the centre of Monmouth". David Davies reacted strongly to the news when he spoke to The Beacon on Tuesday. He said he believed "the people of Monmouth have been treated with a great deal of contempt", adding "I am both shocked and surprised that the Minister would agree to this. "This would simply not happen anywhere else. It is ludicrous that a town of 20,000 inhabitants, plus the many thousands of people who live in the surrounding areas, will be denied facilities to help its inhabitants find employment and instead they will be further penalised by having to waste time and money travelling across the constituency to Abergavenny or Chepstow, or even across the border to Coleford. "Everyone who lives in Monmouthshire knows that the public transport network is simply insufficient to meet the demands of people desperately looking for work and relying on their local outlet for assistance. "I am afraid the people of Monmouth have once again been taken for granted". The Beacon made enquiries on Tuesday and found bus services ran from Monmouth to Abergavenny at 7.40am., 10am and twelve mid-day, with the two way journey taking up to two hours. The cost is apparently just under £5 for a return ticket. The closure follows the decision to stop all financial transactions at the County Council's One Stop Shop in Agincourt Square, a decision which also provoked a fierce reaction. Gary Witcombe, who is chairman of the Monmoutshire Electors Community Pressure Group, said his members were angry that yet another service was being lost to the town. "We, as a town, should not accept this decision" he said. "It is absolutely ridiculous to expect people to travel to the Jobcentre in Abergavenny, this will totally disrupt people's lives and it is unreasonable."
