PROPOSALS to close Teesdale's only JobCentre have been criticised as another example of the long-term decline in rural services.

Councillors say that the loss of Barnard Castle JobCentre will place an extra burden on the district's unemployed.

Under the proposals, the service would be delivered from Bishop Auckland, augmented with freefone telephone and Internet access.

The Department for Work and Pensions, which denies the proposals are a cost-cutting exercise, also intends to create Job Points in public places, providing computer access to information.

The proposals are part of a county-wide shake-up of the service, rolling out the new JobCentre Plus Service, which will combine both JobCentres and benefit offices.

But the department says that the JobCentre building in Barnard Castle, which does not have a benefit office, is unsuitable for the provision of the improved modern services.

Richard Sedgwick, district manager for JobCentre Plus, said the introduction of the service would offer a more coherent, personal and supportive service, making it more accessible.

But Councillor Ken Coates, Labour member for Barnard Castle North on Teesdale District Council, said: "I think this is ridiculous. It is just another example of rural areas getting hit again.

"It is all very well saying there is Internet and telephone services, but not everybody uses those. They cost money. Everything is being centralised in big towns. We have seen this happen with the Post Office."

Jo Fergus, who represents Barnard Castle East on Durham County Council, said: "It is a long trawl through to Bishop Auckland from Middleton-in-Teesdale.

"People who are out of work haven't a lot of money and this seems to put a lot of pressure on people who are least able to cope with it."

A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions, said: "This is about modernising the service and making it more efficient.

"We are consulting local authorities. We hope to be placing things like Job Points in public places like shops and even in the street.

"If people should want to contact us there are free numbers available."

Derek Foster, MP for Bishop Auckland, said: "No final decision has been made yet, but I have had an assurance that there are a number of options available to provide a full service for the people that live in Teesdale."