Devastating Blow For Bedlington

[Merlin]

A mate of mine went to the job centre (Bedlington) for a Back To Work Interview. During the interview the adviser said 'Don't take this wrong way, but, we have a pot of jobs that are not advertised on our website or in the papers that are for dis-advantaged people'.

Mate says 'so what do you mean by that?'

Adviser 'Well there are only four streets in Bedlington that are not classed as dis-advantaged, so if you give me your postcode I'll see if you can apply'

Needless to say he could apply!

Question 1 : Where are these four streets?

Question 2 : Why are these people keeping jobs back?

Question 3 : Is it now official that the government class Bedlington as dis-advantaged?

My personal opinion is that I am absolutely GOBSMACKED, in all of Bedlington ONLY FOUR streets are NOT classed as dis-advantaged well, I bet that's a kick in the teeth for the private housing estates in Bedlington such as Hazelmere. Are we a slum town? Have we slipped so far that there is no redemption in the eyes of the government, is the only way forward to have street riots, burn the place to a cinder (as in Meadow-well) for the government to invest in our future? I sincerely hope not!

Come on, we are not that bad! Are we?

Edited April 16, 2010 by Merlin

[Malcolm Robinson]

I think this would make an interesting question at the next NCC Area Meeting which will be held at Bedlington. Your questions certainly need to be answered!

[debrad65]

this is shocking! I cannot believe it!I would love to know where these 4 streets are as well!this is a big kick in the teeth for the majority of folk in Bedders! God the majority of us are decent people - we have a great community and want to save it. We not full of riff-raff like some places so how dare they say most of us live in dis-advantaged postcodes

[Monsta®]

wey thats what you get for living in deadlington! its just gone down hill where it stops no one knows. deadlington comes fourth after ashington and newbiggin, and no thats not a mistake its deadlington is always last on the list!

[Hillbilly]

It's a bit surprising to say the least! But if that is the case it sort of explains their reluctancy to do anything to help the town recover!

It may have been a through away comment by the person in the Job Centre... but as me awld man used to say.. "thas neva smoke withoot fire"

[Merlin]

No throw away comment,to qualify for this pot of jobs that are not published anywhere you have to live in a dis-advantaged area! I was always under the impression that all jobs were open to all people! If there is a pot for the dis-advantaged, what other pots of jobs have they got and for WHO? I feel the need for answers!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Merlin,

I am wondering if this has anything to do with the Gov saying every young, 18-25yr olds, as well as long term unemployed, will get a job offered? They are busy cutting jobs out of the public sector but those jobs are by and large still needed so fill them with cheaper labour?

I am still at a loss as to how any gov agency can classify 4 streets as being different to those surrounding them? It really must be a post code lottery! Given this is the job centre we are talking about are there 4 streets in Bedders which have factories attached to them with no go lines painted on the roads to get to them from elsewhere? With the lack of localised job opportunities it would seem reasonable to assume most people travel outside of Bedders to work so what on earth is the different between streets? I would like to know how they worked this out.

[Stephen]

This has to be a misunderstanding. Are they seriously saying that they can't find four streets from Hazelmere, Beaufront Park, Humford Way, Church Lane, Towers Close, Church Lane, the new bit of Bower Grange that aren't classed as disadvantaged (even if you don't count Nedderton, Hartford Bridge/Hall)?

These statistics are usually done by council ward anyway, and I wonder if she meant only four wards in Bedlingtonshire?

[sizsells]

This has to be a misunderstanding. Are they seriously saying that they can't find four streets from Hazelmere, Beaufront Park, Humford Way, Church Lane, Towers Close, Church Lane, the new bit of Bower Grange that aren't classed as disadvantaged (even if you don't count Nedderton, Hartford Bridge/Hall)?

These statistics are usually done by council ward anyway, and I wonder if she meant only four wards in Bedlingtonshire?

AYE and divint forget the Station theres some canny nice places doon there

[mercuryg]

Sounds like a load of !*!@# to me; Merlin's mate must have misunderstood something somewhere. Think about it - unless the job centre bods say this to everyone who goes in for the interview then that means there's a bag load of jobs that never get filled. I have never had this question asked in all my time going there in the past, and from a quick question to those i've just spent the morning with - some of whom are still going there, two of whom have recently had such an interview, they weren't asked the question either. Surely, also, they would have the interviewees details in front of them, on computer? Indeed, I remember my address and postcode being part of the security questions asked!

There's a rabbit away somewhere.

[Merlin]

Right, After some investigation and asking questions of a reliable source this information is true...to some extent! There is a pot of jobs for the dis-advantaged that are not advertised anywhere else. You will only be told of this pot of jobs after you have been signing on for 39 weeks or more and then only if the adviser thinks you will be interested and/or suitable! The discrepancy comes in the interpretation of dis-advantaged! While I jumped on them meaning a slum town What they actually mean is that we (Bedlington) have to travel out of Bedlington to find work so we are at a dis-advantage. The four streets not included in this are supposedly the ones where there are jobs, but only Tesco are recognised as a major employer in Bedlington, Hope this has made things a little clearer

Questions that could not or would not be answered:-

Are there any more pots of jobs not advertised and if so who are they for?

Why are these jobs held back in the first place?

Who is responsible for these pots of jobs?

Do employers know these jobs are being held back?

If employers do know, what is the incentive and criteria to be added to these pots of jobs?

There was probably more questions but my head hurts

Edited April 29, 2010 by Merlin