£29m plan to support Halls workers

Dec 19 2012

A multi-million pound economic development plan has been announced to help the 1,700 people made unemployed through the closure of a food processing plant.

The final closure of Halls of Broxburn in West Lothian in February will put 1,100 permanent staff and 600 agency staff out of work.

The new £29 million national and local government recovery plan is designed to create nearly twice as many new jobs. A total of £16.6 million has already been allocated through Scottish Enterprise while new funding of up to £12 million will go to training and company support. An average of £2.4 million will be invested in each of the next five years, with the effectiveness of the investment assessed after the first three years.

The Scottish Government/West Lothian Council Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (Pace) initiative aims to reduce the time people spend out of work, help them find new jobs and support the hardest-hit communities in Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh.

The former workforce will be supported by funding of £5.53 million, including £4.7 million to meet training and other needs, while £23.6 million will support economic recovery and growth, including £4 million for growing companies identified by Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise.

It is estimated that the recovery plan will create in the region of 3,000 jobs over the next five years.

Finance Secretary John Swinney said: "Our focus must be to support those people who are now losing their jobs and activities in this plan will give some hope and help to those who are being made redundant at the end of this week.

"I am pleased that our efforts are already delivering tangible benefits for the people of West Lothian - with last week's announcement by Plexus of the creation of 130 new jobs, supported by Scottish Enterprise.

"Our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (Pace) initiative has set up resource centres at the Halls site and at the Strathbrock Centre to assist employees who are facing redundancy.

"Skills Development Scotland delivers Pace on behalf of the Scottish Government and has worked with other partners in the area including West Lothian Council, the Department for Work and Pensions and West Lothian College to provide a tailored package of support for employees."