New Gateway For Dover Agreed

Following the success of Dover District Council's @ your service Castle Street office, Kent County Council has now agreed to join with Dover District Council and expand the service to provide even more help for even more residents in one visit.

Improved help will be particularly important during these difficult times as advice and help over jobs, training, debt, housing and benefits will be brought together in Castle Street from Government, voluntary, charity and public organisations. The Gateway, working six days a week instead of the current five, will also include social services and health support, with dedicated rooms for consultations, and the very latest in self-help computers, changing facilities and residents' advice hubs.

The Gateway will also work very closely with Kent County Council's Discovery Centre to provide a seamless service for skills and education.

Building work is about to start on the major new 'Dover Gateway' service in Castle Street, and the current DDC offices are moving to temporary offices while work is carried out. DDC Castle Street offices will shut at 12.30pm on Friday 27 February, and reopen temporarily at 15 Market Square at 9am on Monday 2 March. The new Gateway facility will be opening to provide increased services for residents in June this year.

During the interim period, DDC Housing Services will be relocating back to the Whitfield offices. Work is also progressing to improve services in Sandwich, Aylesham and Deal, working with various partners who are the best suited to provide the most accessible services in each place.

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Dover District Council's Cabinet Member for ICT, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources said: "This is an exciting project that will enable us to bring a wider range of partners in the community together, to provide an increased selection of quality public services, more than we were able to provide at the old offices, which couldn't fit all the organisations in who wanted to work with us. While works are carried out, we will continue to provide services from our temporary office, and our Whitfield offices, and we continue to work closely with our partners for the launch of the new Dover Gateway later this year."

Alex King, Deputy Leader of Kent County Council, added: "Like all public agencies, local authorities need new ways to provide public access with the highest possible level of service. Bringing a range of agencies under one roof also gives the taxpayer better value for money. This new facility means the District and County Councils and their partners can deal with customers in a truly 21st Century way."