FEARS that the introduction of Jobcentre Plus could leave Alton Ôout in the coldÕ have been allayed following news that both Alton and Bordon are to have their own offices.

Nonetheless, before hanging out the flags, Alton CAB wants to know exactly what sort of service these offices will be able to provide.

According to a statement from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), while Winchester provided one of 56 ÔpathfinderÕ offices, the county as a whole is due to see other centres providing full access to job search and benefit advice.

And, while an assurance has been given that Alton, Bordon and Petersfield will all have Òa presenceÓ, local premises constraints may reduce that provision to Òa gatewayÓ, enabling access to the full service which would be delivered in other ways.

Jobcentre Plus spokesperson Sandra Roach,told The Herald: ÒThere will be a job centre in Alton but we have yet to decide on the level of service we can provide there bearing in mind the constraints of the premises.Ó

AltonÕs Job Centre is located on the first floor of Wey River House in the High Street - a building currently awaiting redevelopment. It is not accessible to the disabled as it is upstairs without a lift.

During a recent visit, Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) manager Teresa Jamieson had been told that the Job Centre was negotiating a lease on a new building in Alton. Further to this, she told East Hampshire District CouncilÕs north west area community committee members that she had contacted the owners of Wey River House who said they would be happy for the Job Centre to remain and to install a lift, which would solve the accessibility problem. There was plenty of room there to install the new Jobcentre Plus facility, she said.

According to DWP, the majority of changes proposed under the new Jobcentre Plus scheme will come into effect by March next year.

Increased use of the telephone and internet is expected to give customers better access to Jobcentre Plus services and staff will continue to work with partners to increase their presence in the community.

Having lobbied hard for a Jobcentre Plus office in Alton, Teresa Jamieson is reluctant to let the case drop until the exact level of service to be provided is known.

ÒWe will still be lobbying for a mainstream office for job seekers and benefit claimants to be in Alton,Ó said Mrs Jamieson who pointed out that of all three CABs in East Hampshire, AltonÕs was the busiest, indicating a high level of need in the town for a full Jobcentre Plus service.