We understand that the Council is planning to stop the weekly housing benefit advice sessions that they had been running at the Chapelfields Community centre.
Acomb Council Office – closed in February 2012.
The service was one of those introduced to replace the “face to face” adv ice service which was lost when the Council’s Acomb Office closed 18 months ago.
Each Thursday morning the Council promised a “Housing advice, Council Tax Support and Housing Benefits service: 9am – 12 noon”
It was one of five advice points were established last year, but now only the one at the Gateway centre (the most popular) will continue in Acomb.
Ironically this building is within 50 yards of the former Acomb Office.
Originally the intention had been to locate advice, and headquarter estate managers and community workers, at the Acomb Explore Library but this plan was scrapped when Labour took control of the Council in 2011.
Now Acomb residents face a long trek to the Council HQ in Toft Green. A telephone link may continue to be available at the Community Centre, but as many callers know, such services are inaccessible for some. We understand that the estate manager will still be present at the centre on Thursday mornings
NB. Callers to the main Council switchboard this week are reporting delays of up to 10 minutes before connection.