THE PEMBROKESHIRE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 30 2015
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5 News 41% of Murco workers have found new jobs REBECCA EVANS AM,
Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, has welcomed the actions laid out in a letter to AMs by the Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport to help those affected by the collapse of the sale of the Murco refinery in Haverfordwest - both directly and indirectly. The letter from the Minister to
all AMs outlines all that the Welsh Government’s Taskforce – put in place following the devastating news last year that the site would end its refinery work - has done and is doing to help the local economy and the employees recover. The Murco Taskforce meets regularly to help implement a delivery plan that has so far seen 41% of employees find alternative employment, with more than half of those in Pembrokeshire. Welcoming the actions being
taken Mrs Evans said: “The Welsh Government did all it could to try and help secure a sale, and has also been quick to act since the announcement that the sale had fallen through. I am pleased that the Minister quickly put into place a dedicated taskforce and delivery plan. The Minister has also recognised that the contractors, sub contractors and the further parts of the supply chain in need of attention. I also welcome the promise from the Minister that any future developments of the A40 will include contractual requirements to maximise spend in the local economy with the appointment of local businesses and individuals.”
The actions currently being taken by the task-force include: • Delivery plan to secure alternative employment
for displaced
workers with help from industry employers, notably Valero
• Workshops and training sessions run
by Penna
• Business Wales Start Up & High Potential Starts Programme help and support to help people set up their own business
• Careers Wales action to support and help develop ReAct funded action plans
• The Wales Economic Growth Zone for Pembrokeshire with Welsh Government funding
match which has attracted
nearly £3.3 million of projects so far
• SME Capital Grant fund (closing at the end of the month) which has attracted 18 companies to apply
• A bespoke workforce development intervention will be launched at the end of February The South Pembrokeshire Labour party have also released a statement regarding supporting those who have lost their jobs due to Murco's closure: According to new figures released
by the Welsh Government, 41% of former workers at the Murco oil refinery have found work elsewhere, and more than half of these jobs are within Pembrokeshire. In an update on the Welsh Government’s efforts to mitigate the threat to the local economy posed by the closure of
MP welcomes ‘fresh thinking’ on health LOCAL MP Stephen Crabb
has welcomed the tone struck by the new Chief Executive of Hywel Dda Health Board, Steve Moore, following their first meeting in Haverfordwest on Friday, and the opportunity for some fresh thinking about the challenges facing the County’s health services.
Assembly Members Paul Davies
and Angela Burns were also present. In recent weeks Stephen has seen a surge in correspondence from constituents about delays and cancellations of surgery appointments at Withybush. He questioned the CEO about these recent problems, as well as the impact of changes to maternity and paediatrics at the hospital. The CEO, who has only been in the role for three weeks, gave a commitment to a 24 hours a day A&E service, but Stephen stressed that this would only be meaningful if the Health Board could guarantee the appropriate level of staffing.
Speaking after the meeting, Stephen said:“It was a constructive meeting with the new Chief Executive
of the Health Board. We went over the last ten years and the reasons why people in Pembrokeshire feel
they
have never been given clear, open and honest information about what is being done to their hospital. I have to say he struck a different tone and gave a strong commitment to wanting to work openly with the local community.” “It was also the first time I have heard a Chief Executive talking about how the model for delivering rural health services has to be different from urban areas. His previous experience was in Cornwall so I am hoping that he can bring some new thinking on this. Over the last 10 years we have had a battle with Welsh Ministers in Cardiff getting them to see that a ‘one- size-fits-all’ strategy does not work for Wales.”
“While it was a useful meeting, we
need clear and effective action to back this up. I will continue to press Welsh Government in Cardiff and the Health Board to get a grip on the problems facing our health services and deliver a better approach for Pembrokeshire.”
Back to the cerealbox: Honey Monster enjoyed working at Murco, but alas, its all over now is
Murco, Economic Minister Edwina Hart said 324 of the original 532 Murco employees and contractors have now been made redundant, with a further 72 finishing this quarter. The sale of the Murco site is underway and is expected to be finalised in June. Mrs Hart praised the work of
the Murco Taskforce to support those who had lost their jobs: “I welcome the significant progress that has been made to secure alternative employment for displaced Murco workers. I also welcome the fact that through the commitment, focus and coordinated efforts of the Taskforce there is a clear route of actions
to retain the high skilled Murco workforce within Wales.”
Delyth Evans, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for South Pembrokeshire,
said it was very
important for the Welsh Government to maintain its focus on supporting the local economy because of the massive impact of the Murco closure. “Contractors and sub-contractors have been hit exceptionally hard as well as those directly employed by Murco. I am pleased the Minister and the Task Force are keeping up their efforts to provide assistance. The focus has to be on identifying opportunities for
developing the regional economy in a way that sustainable supporting local businesses, improving skills
and training, and bringing in new investment.”
Stephen Crabb MP called for a new focus on tidal energy following closure of Murco when asked about supporting ex-Murco workers. The MP
for the future, by companies including
emphasised the
importance of a new strategy for the local economy following the closure of Murco. The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that unemployment rose in Preseli Pembrokeshire last month, and the local MP has stated his commitment to addressing this important matter.
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