Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan visited Neath Port Talbot to view progress on a coal tip safety project and meet those affected by blast furnace closures at the Port Talbot steelworks.
The Chancellor visited a former coal tip at the former Dyffryn Rhondda Colliery on the banks of the River Afan in the Upper Afan Valley. Work is ongoing to stabilise the site. It is being led by Neath Port Talbot Council along with contractors Walters UK.
She was met by council Leader Cllr Steve Hunt, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economic Growth Cllr Jeremy Hurley and staff involved in the project.
Later in the day, at the Opportunity Hub in Port Talbot’s Aberafan Shopping Centre, the Chancellor, who was joined by First Minister Eluned Morgan, met local people seeking work, including those affected by the blast furnace closures at Port Talbot’s Tata Steelworks where a £1.25 billion Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) is currently being built as a cleaner, greener alternative.
At the Opportunity Hub, NPT Employability staff are focused on providing support and mentoring for those seeking employment. This includes funding for training and upskilling to improve their chance of securing long term sustainable jobs.
The Chancellor also met staff from the Trailblazer Programme, which is designed to support localised approaches to reducing economic inactivity. The UK Government is providing £10 million in funding for the programme in Wales, with councils in Neath Port Talbot, Blaenau Gwent and Denbighshire being pilot delivery partners.
Reeves also met ex-workers supported by the Employment and Skills Fund set up by the Tata Steel Transition Board to help those in Wales affected by the Tata Steel UK transition, whether directly or indirectly. It offers grant funding to support retraining, skill development, and sustainable employment for those impacted by the changes at Tata Steel, including those in the supply chain and associated contractors.
The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, said:
“We’re glad to see the Chancellor taking a first-hand look at the issues we’re facing here in Neath Port Talbot in terms of the dangerous legacy of the mining industry and job losses due to the changes at Tata Steel.
“This council is working hard with its partners to mitigate the problems associated with our mining past and to deal with the serious employment and economic issues from decarbonising steel production and we welcome the funding that is so essential for us as we move to a cleaner, greener future.”
