Closure of local tax offices

Posted by Cllr. John Beacroft-Mitchell
Tuesday, 9 January 2007

On the November 16th 2006 the local Inland Revenue tax offices in Halifax, Keighley, Huddersfield, and Skipton were told their work would be moved to the main office in Bradford, and that employees would have either move with it or have to find alternative employment.

A lot of employees have young families and work part time, so they are unable to move to Bradford. There are also staff who are in their local office because of disabilities that prevent them from travelling further.

Futhermore, both individuals and businesses will no longer be able to arrange appointments with staff in the local offices and will be forced to travel through to Bradford.

Staff at the Halifax office have set up an online petition to oppose these moves. Sign the online petition here

If you would consider signing it, to help people who work in local offices stay there, they would greatly appreciate it.

Kind regards

Cllr. John Beacroft-Mitchell

From Strowger
Friday, 12 January 2007

All of those places have cheap, efficient public transport to Bradford. Closing the tax offices sounds like an excellent efficiency saving to me.

The Inland Revenue does not exist for the benefit of its employees - indeed, let us hope that this move means they will be able to get by with fewer employees.

From Tracy
Saturday, 13 January 2007

You are quite right the Inland Revenue does not exist for the benefit of it's employees. It exists for it's customers, that's you and me.

The centralization of work, and potential loss of highly skilled and trained tax employees will result in a worsening of the customer services provided. In all national newspapers recently there have been reports of huge piles of unanswered post, vast sums of money spent on external consultants that have resulted in inefficient new work practices and not the improvements as promised.

Theses worsening customer services are a fact and you are incorrect in your assumption, the Revenue cannot get by with less employees. The most vulnerable sectors of society will suffer ,i.e.: those in dire financial need, and the elderly who are the most frequent visitors to the tax office for help and advice.

Furthermore the local economies of the towns affected Keighley Skipton, Huddersfied and Halifax, will suffer the most. If you remove a major employer from these towns the small shops and businesses will be hurt the most. Perhaps you would like to tell these shops that they can "get by" with fewer customers.

From Jacob
Monday, 22 January 2007

Here, here Tracey. Furthermore, the tax office in Bradford is not central, so employees that move jobs will almost certainly drive to work, where previously they will have largely used public transport. So, more cars on the already overcrowded roads too.