Like many others, I was saddened to learn last week that Berry BPI have now officially moved all jobs and operations from Greenock to Paisley, marking the end of the plastics manufacturing company’s long tenure as a valued employer in Greenock.
Berry BPI has been an important employer in Greenock since the late 1960s, and its departure means we must ask how we will continue to attract jobs and investment to the local economy.
There was hope that some form of intervention, from the council or the Scottish Government, could persuade Berry BPI to keep at least some of their operations at Greenock, but despite the best efforts of dedicated local parties, this failed to materialise.
As we all will know, news like this has become far too common in recent years, and I deeply empathise with the frustration of residents about the erosion of local jobs. Understandably, much of this frustration has been aimed at the Scottish Government, who have promised more much needed investment into the region.
But despite the challenges, good news and cause for optimism is never too far away; I am glad to see that the new visitor complex at Ocean Terminal is thriving, and that more sporting events are making their debuts in Greenock.
These are great local successes which bring people into the area and give businesses and individuals with the opportunity to build on this progress.
This is also why I was pleased to see that the UK Government remains committed to the £20m levelling funds provided by the previous Conservative government.
Back in September, I highlighted concerns in the Tele that the funding might not survive the change of government, but the UK budget confirmed last week that the project will go ahead.
Amid what was a challenging budget, this is positive news, and I look forward to it beginning to bring people and investment to Greenock, accelerating much-needed rejuvenation efforts and infrastructure improvements which will see the benefits felt across Inverclyde.
However, the UK budget also contained challenges for small businesses, particularly the rise to employer national insurance contributions, which could limit employer’s ability to create well paid local jobs.
This is the opposite of what local people need, and I look forward to standing by those businesses as they continue to fuel local jobs and success.
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