Valero agree to take on Murco Milford Haven apprentices

The collapse of that deal will lead to the loss of hundreds of well paid local jobs.

A Murco task force meeting was held yesterday (Tuesday), chaired by Minister for Economy, Science and Transport Edwina Hart AM, with groups including Murphy Oil, Murco and Pembrokeshire County Council attending.

Speaking in the Senedd today, Mrs Hart announced a series of measures to tackle the job losses in the county: “This is a difficult time for the employees of the company, their families and the wider community in Pembrokeshire.

“We now need to focus on doing all we can maximise the opportunities for employment at the site, and ensure the employment and skills are retained for the future prosperity of the region.”

She later said: “I will be introducing a special round of the Welsh Economic Growth Fund that will be open to support businesses in creating and safeguarding employment in Pembrokeshire.

“That £3 million fund will sit alongside a £500,000 new round of the SME Growth Fund that I am committing to, aimed at supporting smaller and microsized companies to maximise the employment and growth opportunities in the region.”

Other measures include a new chairman of the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone, Stan McIlvenny OBE, who starts immediately.

It is planned to hold a series of events to combat the job losses, starting with a Jobs fayre event on December 10 at Pembroke Dock’s Bridge Innovation Centre.

The Minister praised the nearby Valero refinery for helping safeguard 12 apprenticeships and three student positions.

“We have taken immediate measures to ensure that the apprentices on site can continue their learning pathway. I am very grateful to Valero for agreeing to offer placements to all of the Murco apprentices onto their excellent apprenticeship programme so they can maintain their studies.”

The Minister stressed she was keen to look at other aspects of improving business opportunities; including accelerating the Superfast Cymru broadband services project and considering dualling of the A40 trunk road.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “The collapse of the sale was very disappointing but we now need to do all we can to help those been affected.”

Mayor of Milford Haven, Cllr Eric Harries, said job losses at Murco had far-reaching implications.

“While there are several hundred directly involved, there are so many more locally who will also be affected.

“Pembrokeshire has a rather fragile economy and certainly with experience further economic difficulties as a result.”

Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government’s Business Wales service, has organised a special workshop aimed at helping local businesses which held contracts with Murco find alternative contracts in the public sector.

The workshop will be held at Pembroke Dock’s Bridge Innovation Centre on December 4 from 9am-2pm.

Any businesses interested in attending should contact eventswestwales@businesswales.org.uk

Edwina Hart's statement in full

I am today, as agreed, updating Members on Murco Refinery following my statement last week.

This is a difficult time for the employees of the company, their families and the wider community in Pembrokeshire.

We now need to focus on doing all we can maximise the opportunities for employment at the site, and ensure the employment and skills are retained for the future prosperity of the region.

Yesterday I chaired a meeting of the Murco task force. We discussed a range of issues, including support for the Murco employees and contractors, business support, the role of Enterprise Zones, and issues with connectivity and transport.

In terms of support for the employees, we will of course provide support for those facing redundancy through our React programmes. I have been asked by the task force to consider the use of the ProAct scheme which has been used to great effect in the past, and I have instructed officials to consider the proposal and provide me with further advice.

We will also be working with the CBI and other business leaders to on opportunities across the sector to bring employers together with prospective employees. We will therefore be holding a series of events, starting with a “Jobs fayre” event on 10th December at the Bridge Innovation Centre.

We have taken immediate measures to ensure that the Apprentices on site can continue their learning pathway. I am very grateful to Valero for agreeing to offer placements to all of the Murco apprentices onto their excellent apprenticeship programme so they can maintain their studies.

The task force will also be taking forward a work programme that maximises the skills and training activities on site to support both the employers and the wider contractor workforce with opportunities to up-skill so that that they are able to transfer their skills and enter new sectors.

I will be working the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology to take this work forward.

We will also continue to support business growth in the area.

Business Wales will offer an enhanced service from their Pembroke Dock offices and will be providing an additional presence on the high-street to ensure that we provide advice and support to local businesses to explore new markets and for those wishing to set up in business.

I will be introducing a special round of the Welsh Economic Growth Fund that will be open to support businesses in creating and safeguarding employment in Pembrokeshire. That £3 million fund will sit alongside a £500,000 new round of the SME Growth Fund that I am committing to, aimed at supporting smaller and microsized companies to maximise the employment and growth opportunities in the region.

We will of course be exploring the use of European monies to meet our goals and be working with the UK Government to consider the use of the EU’s Globalisation Adjustment Fund.

The energy sector is integral to the economic fabric of the local area and is a specific priority of the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone.

Today I am announcing the appointment of Mr Stan McIlvenny OBE as the new Chair of Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone. Mr McIlvenny is the current Chief Executive and Company Secretary of Port of Waterford Company, and brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the port sector across shipping, logistics, warehousing, rail and fleet transport. Mr McIlvenny will take up this position with immediate effect and will Chair tomorrow’s meeting of the Enterprise Zone Board. I know Mr McIIvenny will be keen to give early consideration to the boundaries of the Zone and the opportunities it can deliver in light of the Murco announcement.

I am also keen that we look at how we enhance connectivity within the area to promote business opportunities. I have specifically accelerated the Superfast Cymru project to bring early benefits to the Haven Enterprise Zone. Good progress is already being made with nearly 23,000 premises in the area already able to receive superfast broadband services.

We are also finalising the details of how we can provide additional telecommunications support to businesses in Enterprise Zones, and the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology will be making an announcement on this later in the month.

In terms of transport links, I have been asked by the task force to consider the issue of the duallling of the A40. I have instructed my officials to accelerate, to the full extent possible, the programme for delivering improvements at Llandewi Velfrey. I have also asked my officials to conduct further, urgent work, to explore additional ways to improve the A40, including the potential for dualling. This work will be complete within 6 months.

As a government we are determined to do everything in our power to support the workforce and the local economy of Pembrokeshire and will explore every avenue with the company and partners to maximise the economic opportunities for the region.

As part of this, I have decided to enhance the Memberships of the task force to bring in additional expertise.

I have asked Roger Evans MBE to Chair the task force. Roger is Managing Director and Plant Director at Schaeffler and is a member of the St Athan and Cardiff Airport Enterprise Zone Board. I am grateful to Roger for agreeing to take up this challenge. I know his years of experience in the sector and personal commitment will provide to drive this agenda forward at pace.

I have also asked Emma Watkins, Director of CBI Wales to join the group. Emma’s background and expertise will help us link in with anchor companies across Wales. Roger and Emma will work alongside the existing membership of the task force, which includes representatives from Murphy Oil Corporation, Murco, Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire College, Unite the Union, and the Welsh and UK Governments. I am grateful for their work to date.

The task force will focus on delivery: delivery of a package of support and assistance for those affected and delivery of interventions to support the economic growth of the area.

We will continue to provide advice and support for the workforce through our delivery partners and I have asked the task force to extend that support mechanism to the contractor network. We must ensure that all of those affected have the right information and skills to make the difficult choices ahead of them.

The wider Murco workforce is highly skilled and has an excellent reputation and we will work with businesses partners in Wales and further to identify new employment opportunities for those affected by redundancy.