Dumfries and Galloway Council leaders have made an official statement after Pinneys of Annan owners Young’s Seafood announced that they planned to close their Stapleton Road factory in Annan with the loss of upto 450 posts at the site.
Elaine Murray, Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, said “It is terrible news that Pinneys of Annan are to close. This will be a devastating blow for so many of the staff and their families.
“Pinneys are the largest private employer in the region so I am greatly concerned about what this will mean for our local community. The loss of 430 jobs including apprenticeships are individual tragedies, but to our local regional economy this is a further blow following on from a number of major recent losses.
“The Depute Leader and I have already written to the First Minister and requested Scottish Government intervention which has saved jobs in other parts of the country.
“Our Council will support the company through this difficult period through PACE and our teams will provide support through our Business Gateway advisors and our employability teams.”
Rob Davidson, Depute Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, said “This is a terrible blow for the staff of Pinneys and their families. The news that the company are creating 200 jobs at their Grimsby plant is of little consequence to the families who will be devastated by this announcement. It is unrealistic to think that families will uproot from this tight knit community where their friends and family are to move to Grimsby.
“In our letter to the First Minister, we have stated that her support for the Scottish food and drink industry is needed in Annan now more than ever. There is an opportunity to build on this thriving industry and investment can unlock the potential of this local industry and safeguard jobs and communities. The help and leadership of the Government help and leadership at this critical time is needed so that a positive outcome can be found for the staff at Pinneys and also for their fish suppliers across Scotland.”
The Council Leader and Depute Leader have met with Government Ministers today following the announcement by Young’s Seafood that they intend to close their site in Annan.
Council Leader, Elaine Murray and Depute Leader, Rob Davidson, issued the following statement following their meeting:
“At a time like this actions speak louder than words. Within the past 24 hours, we have met with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity and spoken to the Minister for Business Innovation and Energy to ask for support and intervention to preserve as many jobs as possible.
“Just because Young’s have announced this closure, does not mean that we accept this lying down. We need to do everything that we can to take up the case with the company to persuade them to reconsider the closure of the site in Annan.
“We welcome the positive reaction from the Scottish Government today. They recognise the scale and seriousness of the problem for the staff and the community of Annan and the importance of prompt, focussed action. Time is of the essence.
“We need a number of different agencies around the table to find a solution. As a council, we are well placed to lead this and since the news broke yesterday, we have been concentrating on making this happen. An action group involving the Council, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government will be meeting on Friday.
“We know that acting quickly, as we have since the announcement was made, is only the first step. Our Administration and our Council is in this for the long term. We will support the staff and the wider community of Annan through this difficult time and for as long as it takes.”
