The Mitchell Street Centre provides very useful computer access for local residents. Following constituents' concerns that the centre is no longer providing the service on Thursday mornings, I sought an explanation from the Adult Learning Manager, who advises:
"Mitchell Street offers an IT4Work Course and a job shop on a Thursday mornings. Both these groups need access to IT to complete Job Search and for people to learn how to fill in their benefit claims on line. The groups run from the base which has 8 PCs. However, we are finding this is not enough PCs for the number of people who are attending and some stay on to do their claimant commitment on line.
Therefore in order to enable everyone to get access to a PC we are using the 4 PCs in the open are as this allows the tutor to work between two areas, which are adjacent to each other.
These PCs wont be available to the general public between 10.30am and 1pm as they will be reserved for Job search and benefits on line.
I think the notice we have put up could explain this a bit better, so that people who need IT access for this job search and benefits are aware they can still get access. I will get this notice amended."