MLA fumes as37 jobs move up the Foyle

A STRABANE MLA claims the ‘downgrade’ of her local Social Security office to a ‘front-line office only’ and the removal of 37 posts to a centralised office in Londonderry will further compound the Tyrone town’s dearth of civil service jobs.

The Social Security Agency (SSA) has announced changes to the operation of their local office network across Northern Ireland to improve customer service.

The Customer First Initiative, now into its third phase, will see the centralisation of benefit processing in a number offices in Belfast and Londonderry.

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But Sinn Féin MLA for West Tyrone Michaela Boyle asked the Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland for his assessment of “whether the planned transfer of up to 37 additional posts, from the Social Security Office to Derry, will compound this inequality even further.”

Last year the Minister claimed the move to ‘downgrade’ the Strabane Social Security office to a ‘front-line office only’ would not diminish service delivery.

Ms Boyle asked then if the Minister would reject the recommendation contained in the Social Security Agency’s Strategic Business Review to downgrade Strabane Social Security Office to a front-line office only service.

She pointed to the additional pressures being placed on the local community in Strabane as a result of the ongoing economic downturn.

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However, the Minister has not rejected the recommendation and the jobs are now to be transferred by the autumn.

Mr McCausland stated: “The aim of the Customer First Project is to develop and implement organisational structures that represent the optimum long-term model for the delivery of services.

“In keeping with the successful roll-out of Customer First in what was formerly known as North District and Belfast West and Lisburn, it was determined that the centralisation of back office processing created the most sustainable and viable service delivery model.

“Analysis undertaken by officials showed that processing staff across the local office network are currently spread too thinly to assure the continued delivery of a high-quality service into the future.

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“As a consequence, the Agency decided to consolidate these skilled resources to ensure the availability of a ‘critical mass’ of staff to be able to sustain the Social Security Agency’s high level of performance.

“Officials are in the process of finalising staffing requirements for processing centres and will continue to work with staff and Trade Union side to consider measures which may militate against any adverse impact such as reasonable daily travelling distances.

“Agency officials will continue to work with local representatives to ensure they are kept informed as Customer First is rolled out.”