PLANS for a Jobcentre in Bordon have been saved from the chop after the Employment Service decided against making the town share the facility with Alton.

The news comes after local councillors and organisations savaged the proposals to make Bordon and Alton share - urging bosses to instead have Jobcentres in both towns.

This week the Department for Work and Pensions has issued details of its latest proposals to create a new Hampshire Jobcentre Plus service from the amalgamation of the Employment Service and parts of the Benefits Agency, after consultation over its original plans.

Its first draft of the Jobcentre Plus proposals suggested that in East Hampshire offices would be created in Petersfield and Bordon or Alton.

This caused great anger in both Bordon and Alton.

Alton already has a Jobcentre and feared the consequences of losing the facility, while Bordon was left in shock because previous plans to relocate LiphookÕs Jobcentre to Bordon were approved by the Secretary of State for Employment last year.

But after an outcry, employment bosses had a rethink and decided to bow to public opinion.

District manager Karen Gamester said: ÒThis is great news for Hampshire. The prime minister has recently spoken of how inspired he was when he saw Jobcentre Plus in action and I am delighted that this will be one of the first areas to receive the new service.

ÒWe will now drive these plans forward, continuing to work in consultation and partnership with local people and organisations and making sure that they offer value for money to the tax payer.Ó

Whitehill and BordonÕs CitizensÕ Advice Bureau welcomed the change of heart.

Manager Diana Wilson said: ÒI am really pleased - it was just the news that we really wanted.

ÒA lot of local people have problems with travelling to other areas, so I am absolutely delighted that we will have one here, especially as it will be multi-purpose and will be able to give people advice about lots of other things as well.Ó

Bordon and Whitehill district councillor David Kidd also welcomed the news, which came after councils, including East Hampshire District Council, wrote to support the view that both townÕs need a Jobcentre.

ÒI am jolly well pleased to hear that they have changed their minds,Ó he said.

ÒHaving one in each town was the idea in the first place and if the district councilÕs letter had any impact, then I am pleased.

ÒIt shows that these things do work. It is excellent news.Ó

Despite the decision to site the new-look offices in both Bordon and Alton, Jobcentre Plus still has a huge task over deciding how to deliver the service to both areas.

The changes will mean that local residents will have access to job search facilities as well as advice about benefits, but finding the space to accommodate the new-look service could cause a headache.

AltonÕs Jobcentre premises in the High Street may be unable to expand to accommodate the extra services, so a new home for the centre may need to be sought.

And the premises proposed in Chalet Hill for BordonÕs Jobcentre may also prove to be unsuitable for the new-look service, meaning that it may need to start looking for a new home.

It may also mean a greater increase in the use of telephone and internet services.

The majority of changes in Hampshire are expected to come into effect by March 2003, although it is not clear whether the Liphook Jobcentre will have relocated to Bordon by then.