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First meeting agrees remit and Economic Recovery Plan.

The Longannet taskforce will produce an Economic Recovery Plan to support workers, businesses and communities affected by the closure of the power station in March 2016.

The taskforce comprises elected representatives, trades unions, businesses and government agencies. Yesterday’s meeting was co-chaired by Business, Energy and Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing and Leader of Fife Council, Councillor David Ross.

Mr Ewing said yesterday:

“The closure of Longannet next March will have far reaching impacts on the local and national economy. The Scottish Government and its agencies will do everything possible to support the hundreds of people and many businesses affected by the closure.

“Members of the taskforce today agreed to develop an Economic Recovery Plan to mitigate the effects of the closure. The Plan will support workers to find new jobs, mitigate the effects on the supply chain, produce a masterplan for the long term future of the Longannet site and consider how to create sustainable employment in the local area.

“That work will take a number of months to complete and I welcome the commitments made today by all parties to work closely together to address the issues constructively.”

Councillor David Ross, Leader of Fife Council, said:

“This is a hugely disappointing situation but I am very encouraged by the positive attitude and commitment shown by all those attending today’s meeting to work together to mitigate the impact of the closure. The primary focus has to be on support for the workforce and the supply chain but I am pleased that everyone also recognises the need to address the impact the closure will have on local communities and the need to create alternative employment opportunities for the longer term.”

Hugh Finlay, Generation Director at ScottishPower, said:

"We are committed to working closely with The Scottish Government, ‎the local authorities, trade unions and all of the agencies and industries who have come together to form this taskforce. We are already speaking directly to every member of the team at Longannet, and our priority is to find the best outcomes for everyone affected by the closure of the station. The meeting today was constructive, and we are confident that the taskforce will have an important role to play going forward."

Notes To Editors

The Longannet taskforce remit is to bring together key partners to co-ordinate the development of a joint, multi-agency plan to mitigate the economic impacts of Longannet’s closure.

The taskforce will develop an Economic Recovery Plan to:

• help ensure individuals employed at the site are supported, maximising each individual’s opportunity to secure alternative employment
• support the communities impacted by the closure
• mitigate the effects on the supply chain
• produce a masterplan for the long term future of the site, maximising the employment potential of the site
• consider the economic infrastructure of the local area, to identify how to create sustainable employment in the longer term

Attendees at today’s Longannet taskforce meeting were:

‪Business, Energy and Minister Fergus Ewing

Councillor David Ross

Cara Hilton, MSP for Dunfermline

Douglas Chapman, MP for Dunfermline and West Fife

Representatives for Fife Council, Falkirk Council, Clackmannanshire Council, West Lothian Council

Representatives for GMB, Prospect, Unison, Unite, STUC

Representatives for ScottishPower, Hargreaves, Clydeport, ScotRail Alliance

Representatives for Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland.