Help needed to regenerate Peugeot site
Leader of Warwickshire County Council Cllr Alan Farnell is calling for more Government help in ensuring the Peugeot site has a future in providing employment for the region.
His comments come following the announcement this week from PSA Peugeot Citroen that it is to cease all manufacturing at Ryton next year with the loss of 2,300 jobs.
Cllr Farnell said: “Sadly the closure of the Ryton plant is something we have expected for the last couple of years. Even so, we must not under-estimate its impact on more than 2,000 families whose wage earners will lose their livelihoods. It is some reassurance to know the redundancy packages from Peugeot are generous, but it is no substitute for the very real jobs we are losing.
“A managed withdrawal of Peugeot from Coventry and Warwickshire is all very well, but I would hope we can expect more from the Government than the sort of acquiescence characterised by the comment that the decision was “a commercial matter for Peugeot”. No wonder there is anger amongst the unions.
“I cannot see the decision to close the factory being reversed but I think we should be expecting greater help to replace what we are losing. Therefore, I will be asking our partners in Coventry and at Advantage West Midlands to help us to press for extra help by including the Ryton site in the new Assisted Area, and making the necessary capital investments that will help regenerate this key site and get our people back into jobs.
“Of course, the economy will take the closure of Peugeot in its stride, but only at a long term cost to so many families. After all we are in the most successful part of the West Midlands. As a council there may be little we can do ourselves, but we do have influence, and we will be happy to work with all our partners, including the unions, to help influence the outcome to the benefit of Warwickshire and to replace the jobs we are losing.”