Jobs fair held for at-risk Young’s Seafood staff
The 450 people affected had the opportunity to visit a jobs fair attended by local employers seeking staff, as well as see the benefit of grant money awarded to the council.
In April, Young’s Seafood confirmed the plant was closing at the end of the year due to it being deemed “no longer financially sustainable”, with 450 roles lost.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy Fergus Ewing attended the jobs fair.
He said: “The loss of a major employer like Pinneys is a serious blow for the local community, which is why the Scottish Government’s redundancy support framework (PACE) has been coordinating the response on behalf of a range of partners to ensure those who have been affected get the help they need.
“We are aware of how difficult a time this is for everyone affected by the situation at Pinneys, but a lot of support is available and we are committed to helping those involved take the next steps.”
The area was also awarded £250,000 through the South of Scotland Enterprise Partnership.
Cllr Sean Marshall, chair of Annan Regeneration Steering Group, said: “This initiative has been developed to support the DG12 community and Dumfries & Galloway Council is proud to support it. Although this funding is extremely welcome, it is only the start and should act as a catalyst to lever in additional funding to deliver a suite of economic and community regeneration projects identified within a robust action plan for the DG12 area.
“Our Council will act as the banker for this £250,000, but we will need continued partner support on the ground to ensure we deliver a plan that will mitigate the impact on the local economy of the Pinneys job losses.”
The funding will be used to accelerate regeneration projects and put together a team to support Annan and the surrounding area, which has suffered further significant job losses. This focused team will be tasked with supporting the community, securing jobs, seeking out new opportunities and ensuring ongoing sustainability and resilience for the area.
