Published: Monday, 1st September, 2008 09:30
Tax office closure concern
By Ally McGilvray
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CLOSURE of the tax offices in the Borders could cost the region £1 million in lost wages every year.
And many customers will be forced to make 60-mile round-trips up to Edinburgh for tax claims in future.
The claims were made after HM Revenue and Customs announced plans to close its offices in Galashiels and Hawick with the loss of 31 jobs.
Scottish Borders Council’s deputy leader, Councillor Alec Nicol, lodged a motion urging the local authority to write to MP Jane Kennedy, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to demand that they be kept open.
Councillor Vicky Davidson, the council’s Executive Member for Economic Development, said: “Given the high-profile job losses we have already had in the area and the limited alternative employment I think there is a special case to be made to keep these jobs in the Borders.”
At a meeting of the full council on Thursday, councillors heard that the tax office mooted the closures in a bid to cut back on property costs, with more transactions expected to be carried out over the internet in future.
However, Councillor Carolyn Riddell-Carre, Selkirkshire, said: “If the tax office really want to make closures they should relocate more inspectors to the Borders because the property prices are far cheaper than those in Edinburgh or other big cities.”
The Public and Commercial Services Union have launched a campaign, Keep Our Offices Local (KOOL), to fight the changes.
They organised a postcard protest encouraging local residents to add their support at a special street signing in the Market Square, Galashiels, on Friday.
amcgilvray@bordertelegraph.com
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