Council Repeats Call For Swift Action On National Steel Crisis

The Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council has again written to Prime Minister David Cameron urging the Government to take swift action over the UK steel crisis. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It follows the announcement that Tata Steel UK Ltd intends to sell off its UK interests and cross-party support at the council for a UK Steel national charter on the production of sustainable British steel. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Council Leader Mel Nott OBE said: “This will be the third time that I have written directly to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to ensure the Government acts quickly and decisively in response to the on-going crisis within the UK steel industry. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“If we lose this industry, the effects will be felt and borne not just by those who are closest to it now, but by future generations and for decades to come. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is no exaggeration as research undertaken by the Cardiff Business School shows the total economic impact of Tata Steel in Wales is £3.2bn. Inter-regional export revenues amount to more than £2bn, and more than 10,000 full time equivalent jobs are supported off-site in the Tata supply chain, many of them via small-to-medium sized enterprises. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“More than 6,500 people are currently employed in the steel industry across Wales, and of the 3,500 who work at the Port Talbot plant, just under 600 are residents of Bridgend County Borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Many have pointed out that the Government was quick to step in when the banking sector collapsed in 2008. Bridgend County Borough Council continues to believe that that the steel industry deserves no less. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Unless urgent action is taken on a national scale, communities throughout the UK will be feeling the impact of this crisis for years to come.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bridgend County Borough Council has been ensuring that residents affected by the job losses that have already taken place at Tata Steel have access to a full redundancy support package as well as support from a Welsh Government taskforce. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This includes opportunities for retraining and learning new skills as well as initiatives such as the Kickstart project which is part-funded by the steel industry and seeks to help individuals start up their own businesses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​