THE FIGHT to save Belper's job centre is gathering pace as more and more people join the campaign to keep it open.
Union leaders, councillors and local organisations have all stepped in to take part in the consultation to decide the future of the jobcentre, threatened following a review of services earlier this month.
A Department of Work and Pensions spokesm
an said that closing the King Street centre was a possible outcome of consultation set up to decide the suitability of services for the area.
If the centre closed Belper's 400 unemployed people, plus single parents and disabled and elderly people, would be forced to travel to Heanor, Derby or Matlock to claim benefits and look for employment.
Colin Hampton, of the Unemployed Workers' Centre, said: "There is a real strength of local feeling that this is a bad move for Belper.
"Bus fares are going to cost £5 minimum for people who can ill afford it. It could mean up to ten per cent of an unemployed person's weekly income to visit a job centre to look for work."
Campaigners have been collecting signatures on a petition, demanding it is kept open and will send them to the Jobcentre district manager Keith Burn.
Mr Burn has also been invited to attend a public meeting to discuss the issue.
Mr Hampton said: "We hope the district manager will have the courtesy to come along to Belper and explain how the closure of the job centre will improve the service to claimants and local business."
The public meeting has been arranged to take place on Wednesday, August 6 at St John's Chapel, The Butts.
The full article contains 278 words and appears in Belper News newspaper.
