Labour would like to see a new job centre set up either in the Tilling Green commnity centre, where it used to be located, or Rye library.

Labour launches campaign to re-open Rye job centre

Labour have launched a campaign calling for the reinstatement of a job centre in Rye – job seekers and claimants have to travel to St Leonards since the job centre drop-in based in Tilling Green community centre was closed in 2015. Nick Terdre reports.

“The closure of Rye job centre has been a big problem for job seekers and claimants in Rye and the surrounding villages,” said Peter Chowney, Labour’s parliamentary candidate and leader of Hastings Borough Council.

“The journey into Hastings can be long and expensive, and from Camber takes almost two hours in each direction. It’s completely unreasonable that people living in the eastern part of our constituency should have to put up with this. We need a job centre to be re-established in Rye as soon as possible.”

Party activists canvassing support for the campaign in Rye this week.

The campaign includes an online petition and letter addressed to MP Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary – one of the few of Theresa May’s ministerial appointments to survive new PM Boris Johnson’s cabinet clear-out – and a video. On Thursday party activists were out collecting signatures for the petition in Rye.

A day return by train from Rye to St Leonards Warrior Square is available for £6.50, but those in outlying areas such as Camber Sands who need to take a bus into Rye can find themselves paying up to £13, the party says. That makes a large dent in the job seeker’s weekly allowance – £57.35 for 16-24 year olds and £72.40 for those of 25 and over.

Making life difficult

The job centre in St Leonards – a long way from Rye.

The relocation of this vital service has meant those out of work have struggled ever since, the party says. If they are unable to afford the lengthy journey, or suffer delays on public transport, they find themselves sanctioned and even more unlikely to attend a job interview.

“The campaign demands an end to this entrenchment of rural poverty, by re-opening the old job centre in Tilling Green Community Centre, or by creating a new one in Rye Library, which would also be a suitable location,” it says.

At the former job centre, computer access to the internet was available so that claimants lacking these facilities could apply for jobs. According to Jenny, a former claimant:

“You made use of the employability courses to help people get back into work. It was a great shame when it closed and these stopped suddenly. [A local job centre] would make a big difference, help people back into work and improve people’s well-being.”

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