No final decision on move to ‘downgrade’ Strabane office

Thus replied Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland when asked by West Tyrone MLA Michalea Boyle about plans to downgrade the Strabane service.

She asked 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.

The Minister replied: “The service delivery model proposed under the Social Security Agency’s Strategic Business Review (now known as Customer First) was thoroughly tested in its North District, a wide geographic area served by seven offices.

“A robust evaluation followed which clearly identified service improvements to all people who lived in that area. Offices designated as front-offices under Customer First will continue to deliver the same front-line service as they do now and access to the office and the services available remains unchanged.

“The Social Security Agency will continue to develop and modernise its service delivery arrangements in line with the Customer First Model as it is working and delivering tangible customer service improvements.

“Final decisions on the range of services to be provided from the Strabane Office will be only made when Customer First is to be rolled out in West District.”

Last week the Sentinel reported how Strabane was one of only eight places in Northern Ireland to have been denied a new jobs and benefits office under a decade-old project to improve services to jobseekers.