THE future of Job Centre Plus at the Ockment Centre looks more secure after a donation of office equipment for the facility.

Over the past two years, Jobcentre Plus has been based at the centre on Tuesdays and Fridays. Originally based at the Ockment Centre on a temporary basis, Jobcentre Plus staff have had to work on basic tables and chairs.

Now that the agreement has become more permanent, Jobcentre Plus required proper office desks and chairs for its four staff that use the Ockment Centre.

Trustee Tony Leech said: 'As we all know, the Ockment Centre works on a very fine shoestring, and was not able to provide these out of their budgets.

'So I had a chat with one of the local managers for Kerry Ingredients to see if they would be willing to donate the tables and chairs from the offices that they are now leaving.

'They agreed to this, and I would like to publicly thank Mr Mick Jones and the staff left on site for all their help in providing this equipment, and Kerry's management for agreeing to it.

'It has, I hope, made it more likely that the Jobcentre Plus will continue to provide a service here in Okehampton, and specifically from the Ockment Centre.'

Job Centre Plus has recently installed a special touch screen monitor at the Ockment Centre for people to drop in and get information on jobs. The screen has now been commissioned and will be available for use in the near future.