By Adrian Mullan

Omagh District Council has led the way and others will follow, that was the message of Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson, when he formally opened the council's new Public Services office in the High Street on Wednesday.

He said that the idea was innovative and he heaped praise on the council and other local agencies for coming together in the initiative. He said that whereas this was the first such office he felt there would ultimately be others in various locations throughout the North.

"Omagh will be held up as an example of how public services, provided by local and central government, can be delivered to communities in a modern and accessible way and in a manner which addresses their needs.

The minister formally opened the centre and received a warm welcome to the district from Sinn Fein council chairman, Marty McColgan.

Mr McColgan said, this initiative has been developed to improve services to customers and puts Omagh at the forefront of customer care.

The town centre location and longer opening hours, as well as the facility of being a single point of contact for all public services in the area, provides greater convenience and ensure better access to a wide range of public services for the people of the district."

The centre will receive and process requests for all services provided by the council such as general information, information on waste collection and disposal, dog control, receiving environmental health requests provision of forms and guidance for all services provided by the council for example, registration, recruitment, tenders, and grant aid.

The centre will also receive enquiries relating to other public agencies including DoE Roads Service, Planning Service, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Western Education and library Board.

Minister Wilson said it was a tribute to the working together of the council and various agencies, which sometimes don't work together well in other areas, that the project had come to fruition.

The event was attended by local MP Pat Doherty, several councillors, council staff and representatives of roads services, the education and library board, the Housing Executive, the voluntary sector and others.

The public service office is on the site of the former town hall and the building is shared with the public prosecution service.

It is open to the public from Monday to Friday from 8.30pm to 5pm.