TAVISTOCK Jobcentre Plus office is to close in March — part of a £1.4-million cost cutting 'transformation programme' . The decision to close the office was announced last week — Phil Weeks, Devon and Cornwall district manager for Jobcentre Plus said the full range of services would be available to job seekers at its 'nearby' Plymouth office. But the news has been greeted with outrage. A spokesman for West Devon Borough Council said members were 'dismayed' by the announcement and felt expecting residents to travel to Plymouth was 'unacceptable and unrealistic'. Last year the council set up a special group to look into the situation when the consultation regarding a possible closure was announced. Cllr Mandy Govier, chairman of the Jobcentre Plus group, said: 'We are extremely disappointed by the announcement. We feel it is very short-sighted. 'We have serious concerns about the implications for vulnerable people who desperately need these services. Jobcentres are not just about jobs. People need to sign on for income support, incapacity benefit and other services. 'The offices are also a crucial advice centre for people who need disability living allowance, attendance allowance, child, pension and working credits — no consideration has been given to the rural nature of West Devon.' Mervyn Ellis, Devon branch secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said the move was 'disgraceful'. Mr Ellis said: 'People who live in rural areas, particularly moorland ones, where bus services are thin on the ground, who are going to have to make long journeys into the city, will be particularly badly hit. 'They are going to have difficulty signing on, and fulfulling the criteria they must abide by to get their benefit.' Anne Johnson, mayor of Tavistock, said she was 'extremely disappointed': 'A few years ago I used to work on a project that helped the young unemployed. There are huge difficulties that they already face and this is just going to make things more difficult for them. 'Travelling to Plymouth isn't quick, even if you are lucky enough to have a car. If you go by bus it's going to be a half day gone.' Geoffrey Cox, MP for West Devon and Torridge, said: 'I am deeply dismayed by this decision. I think it will be very stressful for people living in Tavistock and the surrounding areas. 'Many people looking for work don't have a car and public transport for people living in outlying areas is very difficult.' Mr Cox said people valued face-to-face contact when they needed help and advice, and using the telephone or internet would not be as helpful to jobseekers. 'I shall certainly be writing to the regional director for Jobcentre Plus and to the secretary of state. We need to keep these offices open,' he said. A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions confirmed that jobseekers in Tavistock and outlying areas would now have to travel to Plymouth every fortnight to sign on and to attend work interviews. Staff from the Tavistock office would be redeployed elsewhere. The spokesman said a lengthy consultation had taken place before making the decision to close the Tavistock centre — and claimed all views were taken into account before any decision was made. The spokesman said: 'Jobcentre Plus is improving customer service to all people who are looking for work and claiming benefit, we have to make decisions about which offices are viable. 'We have to work with the resources we have so we deliver the best possible service to the greatest number of customers. 'We can also offer a home visit to some of our customers as well as access to our services by telephone and the internet. 'Our business is changing and more people now access our service using the telephones and internet. 'On the occasions we ask our customers to visit the office outside their usual fortnightly signing day — we may consider re-imbursement of fare paid to get to and from the office. '