Community furious over imminent closure of 'valuable' One Stop Shop service in Thornbury

The closure of the One Stop Shop (OSS), a face-to face enquiry service run by South Gloucestershire Council in Thornbury Library, was announced last October.

Members of the community were quick to condemn the decision, saying it was taking away an important service, which gives residents a vital point of contact with council officials.

South Gloucestershire Council claim that Thornbury has been the quietest of the council’s OSS ‘shop front’ services for a number of years, with the decision set to save £60,000 annually.

But despite its low footfall, residents took to social media to broadcast their outrage and disappointment, many criticising the fact that those using the service will instead have to travel to one of the other OSS locations in Yate, Patchway or Kingswood.

Responding to news on Facebook, Tracy Ann Knorr said the closure was “a real shame.”

“The staff in there are so good. We seem to be losing everything and gaining nothing apart from new houses. No shops or services to go with them.

“It's getting ridiculous! Why Not just open two-to-three days a week?”

Anne Riley added that “not everyone has or likes the internet,” and that it is “so much better to speak face to face.

“Have used this service several times,” she said. “They have always been very helpful. Very sorry to see it go!”

Former Thornbury resident Lynsey Wyborn said: “I used it when I lived there. Staff are great and it is a shame it had to go.

Meanwhile, resident Stephen Nicholls supported the move, saying it was “nothing to do with austerity. Just common sense.”

“If a service is not being used then there's no point in keeping it open,” he said. “It has the lowest footfall of all the OSS.”

The service will officially close on June 30.

New arrangements are being made to help those needing to access services in the wake of the closure, with extra computers and dedicated staff to help residents with making enquiries online or by phone will be introduced at Thornbury library for the next six months.

A phone will also be available free of charge to speak to customer service advisors. More complicated matters will require residents to visit other OSS’s at Patchway, Yate or Kingswood.

Thornbury and South Gloucestershire Cllr Maggie Tyrrell described the decision as “a dreadful removal of service from the people of Thornbury.”

She said: “We have known it is happening for a while and were just waiting on the day.

“It is a very convoluted way of saving a bit of money by removing a valuable service, and is a bit ridiculous when you think of all the people who need to make enquiries about the many paper-based systems the council operates, as well as the vast number of new people who are set to come to Thornbury as new homes are built and will want a face-to-face contact with the council.”

Defending the decision, Cllr John Goddard, South Gloucestershire Council cabinet member for corporate resources, said it is “part of the council’s ongoing commitment to spending our money where it can make the most difference.

“Closing the Thornbury OSS, which is the quietest of these services, will help us save £60,000, which in turn means that we can protect other services that people rely on.

“Although this decision was taken last year, we have spent time since then making arrangements that will support residents who may need a little help, for example with accessing services online, if they don’t have the equipment or the confidence.”

The council have said that many people from Thornbury who deal with the council already go online or use the phone, and a significant number of people who use the Thornbury OSS live closer to alternative services, particularly the Patchway OSS.

In a public consultation, undertaken by the council last year, 38 per cent of respondents supported proposals to close the Thornbury OSS, shifting towards online services, with 33 per cent supporting a partial closure of Thornbury, with the closure offset at other OSS’s.