Residents complain at housing office closure

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 15/07/2008

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) will receive hundreds of letters of complaint this week after announcing the closure of the Smallbridge Housing Office.

The office, which operates out of Smallbridge Library, is currently based at the Bellshill Housing Office while the library undertakes a total refurbishment, but RBH has announced that the staff will not move back to the library once the work is complete.

Older residents are particularly concerned at the closure because of the extra distance they will have to travel to the Bellshill office, especially considering there is not a bus service that runs between Smallbridge and Belfield.

Maitland Close resident Vera Maxwell said: "At 81 years of age it is totally impossible for me to make the journey to Bellshill for a service which we are badly in need of locally."

Vera's comment is typical of what Smallbridge residents have been saying.

There are also rumours suggesting that the Bellshill office could also be closed in the near future but this is yet to be confirmed.

Smallbridge ward councillor Jean Ashworth said: "This is a major blow for everyone in the Smallbridge area, more so now we believe that the Bellshill Office is also to close as well. I really can't understand that two of the busiest housing offices are being closed when the amount of people using them shows it is a much needed service in both areas.

"I would hope that RBH listen to the needs of the people in these areas and think carefully before making a final decision to close these offices and leave such a huge gap."

Smallbridge residents will now have to attend a housing surgery held once a month at the tenants and residents association offices if they are to have their housing concerns heard, while housing office staff will continue to walk around the estates.

Andrew Toft, Director of Operations at Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, said: "We found that the amount of people calling in Smallbridge was dropping and the income we get for managing the council's property is declining.

"Having people sitting in offices waiting for custom isn't the best use of our resources and my argument is that we will replace this with a more face to face service."