AN employment and benefits service will now be available once a week in Darwen in the wake of the September closure of its job centre.

The new weekly service follows intensive negotiations between the Department of Work and Pensions and Blackburn with Darwen Council, which objected to the closure of the Bury Street office.

Before the compromise was announced, Darwen residents faced a round trip to the Blackburn JobCentre Plus in Penny Street.

It will run every Tuesday at Darwen Health Centre on James Street West.

The news has been given a cautious welcome by Cllr Roy Davies, Mayor of the town council; Sunnyhurst ward Labour councillor Dave Smith and Cllr John Slater, leader of the borough Tory group.

They have promised to campaign for the return of a full five-day-a-week service to Darwen.

The closure was part of a national DwP strategy to merge job centres and make more efficient use of its buildings by closing under-used offices.

Cllr Mohammed Khan, the leader of the Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We have been working with Jobcentre Plus to support the opening of the new service and I have taken a great personal interest in it.

"Darwen Health Centre is an ideal location because it’s central and there are a range of services in one building. I hope people take advantage of it.”

Carla Passarello, district manager of Cumbria and Lancashire Jobcentre Plus, said: “ Jobcentre Plus are delighted to be working alongside our partners, including the NHS, at Darwen Health centre every Tuesday.

"We will be there to help local people with job search, offer group sessions and work alongside our partners providing access to a variety of services under one roof.”

Sudell Liberal Democrat Cllr Davies said: "It's better than nothing.

"Well done to the borough council for getting this compromise but it's not satisfactory. We want our jobcentre back until there is full employment in Darwen."

Cllr Smith said: "This is a positive development and I know Cllr Khan worked very hard.

"Despite this compromise by the government, who are to responsible for the closure, it is not entirely satisfactory.

"I shall campaign for the return of a full job centre service as many of its Darwen users cannot afford regular round trips to Blackburn.

"This is better than we had but I still feel we need a proper job centre in Darwen until we get full employment."