A DECISION by the Government to quietly build an additional Jobcentre in Newton Abbot town centre has left some local figures scratching their heads, after they were kept in the dark over the plans.

The new and temporary centre is being currently being built in the former Marks and Spencer store on Courtenay Street, with no plans to close or relocate the current Jobcentre at Forde House.

Some local figures have expressed regret that the plans have been advanced without consultation or even an announcement to those impacted on the high street.

Due to changes in the planning laws last year, the former shop did not require planning permission for a change in the building’s use, said Sally Henley, Newton town centre development manager.

Sally thought the suitability of the location has been brought into question and confirmed that neither she, nor any other local authorities were consulted or even informed about the decision.

She said: ‘I wasn’t aware that there were plans for an additional temporary Jobcentre in Newton Abbot and only discovered that the former M&S site was the location when the contractors for the fit-out turned up.’

The new centre is being built in anticipation of the Jobs Retention Scheme, or ‘Furlough’ scheme coming to an end.

It is hoped that this massive recruitment drive can stem the tide of rising unemployment claimants. Furthermore, thousands of vacancies in the hospitality industry are receiving little to no applicants.

‘It’s disappointing that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have not liaised with local authorities on this,’ added Sally.

‘It’s also concerning that the Government feels there will be many people out of work when the furlough scheme ends and that there is a need for lots of additional job centres across the country.

‘The job centre itself will of course create new town centre jobs and the staff, and I’m sure, will use the convenient shops and businesses in their break periods.

‘However, with the investment which Newton Abbot has recently attracted and the accompanying boost to the local economy, let us hope that the new job centre, as with the Nightingale hospitals, will not be needed for very long.’

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions confirmed that the are creating at least 110 additional centres nationally, together with 13,500 staff, or ‘work coaches’ as they call them.