Welsh Government fighting to save hundreds of jobs at…

Welsh Government fighting to save hundreds of jobs at administration-hit Tillery Valley Foods

First Minister Mark Drakeford has said the Welsh Government has "not given up" on saving hundreds of jobs at a Valleys food factory that plunged into administration this week. Some 250 staff at Tillery Valley Foods in Abertillery are to be made redundant after the company announced on Wednesday May 17 it was entering administration.

Stephen Bolton, Executive Chairman of Joubere Ltd, which owns the factory, said they were "heartbroken" to close the factory, citing £2 million in energy cost increases and inflation on ingredients and packaging as the decisive factors. He said the news was a "devastating blow for the town."

The closure is a major blow for the valleys which saw a hundred jobs lost at Garth Bakery in Abercynon in December and 60 jobs at risk at aerospace and defence company General Dynamics in Bryn Brithdir and Pentrebach.

Asked by WalesOnline about the mass cuts on Thursday, Mark Drakeford said he was "concerned about the impact of significant job losses in particular communities" and said the Welsh Government was fighting to save the Abertillery jobs. He said ministers were "continuing to see whether a rescue package can be put together" for Tillery Foods staff and that they had "not given up" on saving those jobs.

However, he said he was "disappointed" that the company had not been prepared to share information that would allow a management buyout option which could help rescue jobs. He added: "Our first intention is to continue to work with those who think the business has a viable future."

Tillery Valley Foods which announced 250 job losses this week after falling into administration (Google Maps)

The First Minister said that if this wasn't possible, he would be bringing a task force together involving major authorities to "find as quickly as possible alternative employment" for workers losing their jobs, similar to those set up for staff at the 2 Sisters chicken factory in Anglesey, which closed in March with the loss of over 700 jobs.

Mr Drakeford was speaking at a cross-border meeting aimed at strengthening ties between Wales, Ireland and north-west England along with Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram, Consul General of Ireland Denise McQuade and Welsh Government Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales Lesley Griffiths.

Ms Griffths said work was also ongoing to ease the impact of job cuts in north Wales, including helping workers who lost their jobs at 2 Sisters to find new work. Residents and local representatives on the Isle of Anglesey have previously raised concerns about a growing number of skilled people being forced to move elsewhere to find work. You can read more about the big questions hanging over Anglesey here.

Ms Griffiths said ministers had established a task force in an effort to save the plant but that the company continued with its plans to press ahead with the closure. She said a support hub had been set up at the Bryn Cefni Business Centre following the initial announcement to help those affected by the job losses. However, she said the Welsh Government's response to major job cuts had been hampered by companies "coming too late" to ministers asking for help, in some cases after announcements had been made.

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