A NEW Jobcentre office in Cirencester was officially opened. 

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and Cotswold District Council (CDC) held the opening ceremony for the new office in the council's Trinity Road offices on Wednesday, July 27.

The Jobcentre has been open to the public since early May 2016 and is based in two of the ground floor wings of the site.

All staff who worked at the old Cirencester Jobcentre in Southway have re-located.

Megan Barber, Cirencester Jobcentre manager, said: “My team and I are delighted to be working alongside our colleagues from CDC.

"We have had a very positive response from our customers to the new Jobcentre and the ease of access to both DWP and CDC services under one roof.”

CDC deputy leader, Cllr Nick Parsons, said: “The co-location of the Jobcentre and the Council is already yielding significant benefits, enabling both organisations to provide a more joined up face-to-face service for customers.

"By working more closely together as key partners, we are also saving on overheads and reducing costs to the taxpayer as the move makes good use of what was excess accommodation at Trinity Road.

"The move fits very well with the Government’s programme of welfare reform and service transformation.”

Thanking Cllr Parsons, Nick Browning, district manager for DWP, said: “It has been a terrific experience working with colleagues from Cotswold District Council in developing our new Jobcentre, into which we want to welcome employers, claimant customers and other partners to help develop a useful community resource.

"Jobcentres are all about helping people towards independence and work, and our relocation to the CDC offices in Cirencester presents us with an exciting opportunity to offer a better service for all claimants, including the future delivery of Universal Credit.”