Waste chief in jobs vow
Courtesy Eastwood Today (Thursday 30th May 2011)
Report Roy Beers
JOBS-hit East Renfrewshire really will benefit from the giant incinerator planned for Loganswell near Newton Mearns - and so will neighbouring areas including unemployment black spot South Lanarkshire.
That was the forthright message to Eastwood Today readers this week from Lifetime Recycling Village managing director Neil Gallacher, who says his firm is calling for the renewabies sector to take the lead in offering training schemes.
Critics of the controversial plan to open Europe's largest incinerator at Loganswell have poured scorn on claims that the project will bring meaningful employment to the area, and say estimates of how many real jobs would be created are continually being revsied,
But Mr Gallacher says the project and the sector generally - offer a jobs lifeline to areas like West Dunbartonshire, with more than 40 people chasing every available job; and South Lanarkshire, where there's been a 90 per cent increase in the number of benefit claims between March 2005 and March this year.
He says recent political announcements in support of apprenticeships have received a warm reception from the team behind the proposed Lifetime Recycling Village for the West of Scotland, and has called for the renewabIes sector to take the lead in offering training schemes.
LRV says that in the run up to the recent Scottish Parliament Election apprenticeships were a key campaigning point for the SNP.
SNP leader Alex Salmond, now First Minister, wrote to Scotland's 200 biggest companies and the Federation of Small Businesses to reiterate the benefits to employers of taking on
apprenticeships, and last week announced that a £34.5 million package to support thousands of additional employment, training and college places will be part of next year's Scottish Budget.
Mr Gallacher Said: "The renewable sector is a key area of growth for our economy, and so it is vital that we are proactive and take the lead on this.
By increasing the number of apprenticeships available in the sector now, we will ensure the long term future and stability of employment in renewable energy in Scotland and the rest of the UK".
If its proposal for the Lifetime Recycling Village is approved, the company has pledged to help improve employment conditions not only in East Renfrewshire, but also in neighbouring local authority areas.
Mr Gallacher said: "We are actively seeking to offer apprenticeship places on our development, and will encourage anyone that we enter into business with or sign contracts with to do the same.
"There is a clear and pressing need for the local workforce to advance their skill levels, as unemployment levels in
West Dumbartonshire and South Lanarkshire are among the worst in the UK".
As extensively reported in Eastwood Today over recent months the local MP and MSP, as well as the area's two list MSP's, are all firmly opposed to the scheme, which is argued set to destroy the amenity of Newton Meams while threatening the wider area with traffic chaos and the threat of pollution.
It's also argued around 100 jobs will be lost if the project gains the go-ahead as several businesses operating at Loganswell would close or re-locate.
However LRV insists its plan answers a well-established recycling problem, and that the scheme would bring real benefits to Eastwood and neighbouring areas through jobs and generous grants for community projects.
Courtesy Eastwood Today (Thursday 30th May 2011)
Report Roy Beers
JOBS-hit East Renfrewshire really will benefit from the giant incinerator planned for Loganswell near Newton Mearns - and so will neighbouring areas including unemployment black spot South Lanarkshire.
That was the forthright message to Eastwood Today readers this week from Lifetime Recycling Village managing director Neil Gallacher, who says his firm is calling for the renewabies sector to take the lead in offering training schemes.
Critics of the controversial plan to open Europe's largest incinerator at Loganswell have poured scorn on claims that the project will bring meaningful employment to the area, and say estimates of how many real jobs would be created are continually being revsied,
But Mr Gallacher says the project and the sector generally - offer a jobs lifeline to areas like West Dunbartonshire, with more than 40 people chasing every available job; and South Lanarkshire, where there's been a 90 per cent increase in the number of benefit claims between March 2005 and March this year.
He says recent political announcements in support of apprenticeships have received a warm reception from the team behind the proposed Lifetime Recycling Village for the West of Scotland, and has called for the renewabIes sector to take the lead in offering training schemes.
LRV says that in the run up to the recent Scottish Parliament Election apprenticeships were a key campaigning point for the SNP.
SNP leader Alex Salmond, now First Minister, wrote to Scotland's 200 biggest companies and the Federation of Small Businesses to reiterate the benefits to employers of taking on
apprenticeships, and last week announced that a £34.5 million package to support thousands of additional employment, training and college places will be part of next year's Scottish Budget.
Mr Gallacher Said: "The renewable sector is a key area of growth for our economy, and so it is vital that we are proactive and take the lead on this.
By increasing the number of apprenticeships available in the sector now, we will ensure the long term future and stability of employment in renewable energy in Scotland and the rest of the UK".
If its proposal for the Lifetime Recycling Village is approved, the company has pledged to help improve employment conditions not only in East Renfrewshire, but also in neighbouring local authority areas.
Mr Gallacher said: "We are actively seeking to offer apprenticeship places on our development, and will encourage anyone that we enter into business with or sign contracts with to do the same.
"There is a clear and pressing need for the local workforce to advance their skill levels, as unemployment levels in
West Dumbartonshire and South Lanarkshire are among the worst in the UK".
As extensively reported in Eastwood Today over recent months the local MP and MSP, as well as the area's two list MSP's, are all firmly opposed to the scheme, which is argued set to destroy the amenity of Newton Meams while threatening the wider area with traffic chaos and the threat of pollution.
It's also argued around 100 jobs will be lost if the project gains the go-ahead as several businesses operating at Loganswell would close or re-locate.
However LRV insists its plan answers a well-established recycling problem, and that the scheme would bring real benefits to Eastwood and neighbouring areas through jobs and generous grants for community projects.
