CALLS for the Jobcentre to be returned to Okehampton are gathering pace.

A former town mayor has joined the initiative started by West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox, who has asked the Government to restore both of the area's Jobcentres' services.

They were closed during Government cuts last year — Okehampton in January 2008 and Tavistock two months later.

Mr Cox has written to Michelle Maslen, district manager of Jobcentre Plus in Devon and Cornwall, asking for an outreach service in Okehampton and Tavistock.

And Cllr Kay Bickley, last year's mayor, is backing Mr Cox's efforts.

She said: 'Frankly we gave up complaining last year because we were meeting a brick wall from the Jobcentre. This is not indicative of a lack of concern but that the Department for Work and Pensions were not prepared even to listen to our concerns when they decided to close the provision in this most untimely way given the recession.'

There was a 'Jobcentre' service for incapacity benefit and single parent interviews in premises at Cranmore Road, when the main office was closed in Fore Street.

Mrs Bickley said the site was also closed, according to the Jobcentre, 'due to low customer volumes' but she said this was hardly surprising because 'I do not know anybody who knew the facility was there!'

She is concerned that people seeking work or claiming benefits now have to travel to either Launceston or Exeter. And despite having to make such a lengthy journey, the Jobcentre will not pay travel costs in addition to Jobseekers' Allowance.

Mrs Bickley said a Jobcentre in Okehampton was essential to help those unemployed in the town and the surrounding area to get back to work, as such offices outside the area could not offer local knowledge.

She is especially concerned because of job losses at Robert Wiseman, a dairy plant and a major employer in Okehampton.

'The Jobcentre has not been involved in advising those workers in ways that they have been, following major closures by factories in other parts of the country.'

Mrs Bickley is also critical that Jobcentres across the board have refused to join the national 'Foodbank' initiative that is being offered in Okehampton.'

Cllr Bickley said she will urge Okehampton Town Council to put the matter on its earliest possible agenda.

Mr Cox said that since the Jobcentre branches were closed, unemployment had soared in the constituency by 68.5 per cent.

He said that in January 2008, 953 people were claiming Jobseekers' Allowance in West Devon and Torridge. By January 2009, the figures showed the number of claimants rose by 68.5% to 1,606 — 55 per cent.

He has tabled a series of parliamentary questions pressing the Government to reconsider its withdrawal of Jobcentres from market towns and urging that a limit be imposed on the distance local people have to travel to obtain assistance. He intends to raise the issue again in Parliament soon.

Mr Cox stressed the urgent need to bring back outreach services to save people having to travel to Exeter and Launceston.

'I have been telling the Jobcentre and DWP that Okehampton is in great need of some sort of Jobcentre provision for the town and I very much hope we get there.

'It is slow progress but I believe the Jobcentre Plus and the DWP do accept that need and hope their current review will show this.

Michelle Maslen, the Jobcentre's district manager, was unavailable for comment but a spokesperson said although there was currently a review of outreach Jobcentre services, there were no current plans to reverse the original cutback of main offices services such as Okehampton and Tavistock.

Jobseekers can find out more about benefits and finding work by visiting http://www.direct.gov.uk">www.direct.gov.uk or calling 0800 055 668.

She added that when it came to the Foodbank Initiative in Okehampton the Jobcentre was happy to provide details of such services to its claimants as it would other alternative organisations; however, it was up to claimants to decide if they wanted to seek and use such alternatives.

Mrs Bickley urges people concerned about the lack of Jobcentre facilities in Okehampton to write to Michelle Maslen, the district manager for Devon and Cornwall Jobcentres at Treleaven House, 17 South Street, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 5TY.