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Fears for vulnerable in plan to axe offices

Fears for vulnerable in plan to axe offices

HIGHLAND Council is planning to axe almost two-thirds of its public offices, leaving people with many miles to travel for face-to-face local authority services.

The shock move to save cash brought an angry backlash last night from opposition councillors and MSPs, who believe it could leave the region’s most vulnerable people unable to access services and assistance.

The council intends to close 23 of its 35 service points – which deal with rent and council-tax payments and fault reporting – in a bid to save £100,000.

However, the closures will save more than the figure the administration had set itself and the rest of the savings would be used to upgrade the council’s website and provide more staff at its call centre in Alness and the remaining 12 service points.

One office being closed is in Dornoch, which has already lost its court and police counter service.

The others earmarked for closure following a review are Acharacle, Ardersier, Bettyhill, Bonar Bridge, Broadford, Brora, Durness, Fort Augustus, Fortrose, Gairloch, Grantown, Helmsdale, Hilton, Invergordon, Kingussie, Kinlochleven, Kyle, Lairg, Lochcarron, Lochinver, Mallaig and Muir of Ord.

This will affect about 30 full-time and part-time staff.

While the council insisted last night there would be no compulsory redundancies, it seems unlikely that jobs could be found for staff working in some of the far-flung locations.

A staff briefing is to be held in Inverness today and service points throughout the region will be closed or their operating reduced hours.

The proposal is expected to be rubber-stamped by the council’s finance, housing and resources committee in Inverness on Wednesday next week.

Service points in Drumnadrochit and Dunvegan were closed in the past two years.

Councillor Carolyn Wilson, leader of the council’s independent group, said: “The group is wholly opposed to these cuts.

“There has been absolutely no discussion with us until last week.

“Many of our members feel that, if they had been given the opportunity, they could have worked with the resources in their communities and found solutions.”

She was particularly worried about the way closing service points would affect older people in the Highlands.

Mrs Wilson, a member for Cromarty Firth, said: “I don’t think it should be all about money. It’s about how you reach the public that you serve and how accessible you are.

“Some of the older members of the public are unable to use the internet and many are uncomfortable with giving bank card details over the phone.”

She is also concerned about the effect the closures will have on people registering births, marriages and deaths.

Mrs Wilson said: “At a time when people are already under stress, they are going to face a massive journey to register the birth or death.

“The council is here to serve the public and should be making itself more accessible.

” I don’t think the administration has considered the implications of the cuts it is making.”

The opposition leader also pointed out that the closures would mean the loss of valuable rural jobs.

Senior members of the council administration coalition could not be contacted last night.

A council spokesman confirmed that the local authority had undertaken a review of its services to customers and a report setting out recommendations would be presented to the finance, housing and resources committee on Wednesday next week.

He said any changes agreed would be implemented before June 2015, allowing 15 months to work with staff to put in place the new arrangements.