Work continues to lessen closure impact

Efforts to lessen the impact of Anglesey Aluminium's closure are continuing apace as the County Council and its partners try to help former employees back into work.

The high-powered Anglesey Aluminium Community Action Group is working to minimise the impact the closure of the Holyhead smelter will have on the workforce and community.

It's Retraining / Reskilling Sub-Group is focusing on helping the work force and 100 Anglesey-based suppliers which are also affected.

Priority is already being given to 26 suppliers severely affected by the closure, with special employment and training support services offered.

Anglesey's Head of Economic Development, Sasha Wynn Davies, stressed, "Our first responsibility is to support the people who have lost their jobs and ancillary businesses now threatened. It's inevitable that the closure will have a huge knock-on affect on the local economy, but we're continuing to work closely with Anglesey Aluminium, Welsh Assembly Government, and numerous other partners to provide support."

"Careers Wales, Job Centre Plus and our own business support team have already been on site, working alongside Anglesey Aluminium to provide advice, information and assistance to staff about re-training, gaining new skills and setting up their own businesses."

"The Retraining / Reskilling Sub-Group has already organised business support workshops for around 70 staff interested in setting up in business."

The Welsh Assembly Government's Redundancy Action Scheme (ReAct) is also helping a number of employees. ReAct funding provides training for people living in Wales facing redundancy. The scheme can also help employers who are downsizing their business or recruiting staff.

County Council Leader, Councillor Clive McGregor, said, "The news that we were losing such a valuable employer has hit the Island hard, especially after so much time and effort was spent in trying to reach an agreement with the owners."

"With the prospect of closure looming, however, we did not rest on our laurels. The County Council established the Anglesey Aluminium Community Action Group with the support of the smelter, Assembly, Unions and other key stakeholders. We're now committed to providing the best possible support to those affected by the closure."

He added, "I'm glad to see that the Retraining / Reskilling Sub-Group is making good progress with partners pulling together to provide guidance and new opportunities for the workforce and affected suppliers."