Last updated at 13:44, Friday, 04 January 2013

A meeting will be held this month to try to stop plans to close or move Maryport’s Job Centre.

FIGHTING FOR JOB CENTRE: Maryport mayor Peter Kendall

Maryport mayor Peter Kendall is expected to meet representatives from the Department for Work and Pensions to discuss the review of the town’s branch, which was announced late last year.

A DWP spokeswoman said yesterday that a consultation process had finished on December 16 but no decision about the future of the office had been made.

Coun Kendall will present a petition signed by 1,600 people protesting against the threat to the Mealpot Road centre.

This was organised by Ennerdale Road resident Sally-Ann Fowler along with daughter Toni Fowler, 24, and other Job Centre clients Peter Smiles, 24, James Wood, 27, Damien Sheridan, 25 and Jonathan Brown, 26.

Mrs Fowler said that Cleator Moor Job Centre was also under threat and she had been in contact with the parish council there to join forces to save the offices.

Maryport Town Council recently unanimously opposed any plan to move the branch out of the town centre.

First published at 13:42, Friday, 04 January 2013
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk