The following is an article by Shelagh Parkinson of Blackpool Gazette:
The number of Civil Service jobs on the Fylde has dropped by more than 1,000 in less than four years.
Figures released today show there were 5,826 people working in the Civil Service in five sectors in December 2004, but by the end of April this year that figure had dropped to 4,784.Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Anne McGuire revealed the totals in response question from Fylde MP Michael Jack MP.
The biggest number of people, 2,703, work for the Disability and Carers Service at Warbreck House, but others are employed in the Child Support Agency (367), Corporate and Shared Services (876), Jobcentre Plus (735) and the Pensions Service (103).
Mr Jack said he was concerned at the reduction in numbers and called on the Government to bring more Civil Service jobs to the Fylde coast.
He said: "The concern is that at a time when everyone is trying to regenerate Blackpool, about 1,000 jobs have gone. "It is very sad to see this information at a time when the Government has effectively pulled the plug on the supercasino.
"We have a haemorrhaging of jobs and I have a horrible feeling it's set to get worse.In 2004 the Lyons Review recommended that there was scope for public sector jobs to be relocated from London and the South East to other parts of the country. There are plans to relocate the Health and Safety Executive to Bootle, but the Fylde has not benefited from any large scale relocations.
Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Joan Humble said she agreed that the Government could do more to bring jobs to the resort.
She said: "I have strongly argued for exactly that. "We have well trained, well qualified and committed people working in the Civil Service on the Fylde coast."
"I think all the Fylde coast MPs should work together to make sure when there is relocation of jobs, that the Fylde coast benefits."
In April the last workers left the Moorland Road site in St Annes, which in its heyday employed 2,500 Department for Work and Pensions staff, while Mexford House in North Shore is due to close in December with the loss of 110 jobs.
