Anger after bid to save Remploy factory from closure denied

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Communities and also in Central Government, Housing, Local Government

Monday 15th October 2012 - 1:06pm

A factory that employed 52 disabled people and had a council contract to build kitchens for social homes has been closed - despite an offer by a company to take the operation on.

The factory and its machinery is now to be sold off by owner Remploy. Remploy ran the factory on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The DWP has said that the factory was making annual loses of £900,000.

Stoke-based company Disability Employment Ltd made an expression of interest in the factory but was turned down because it failed Remploy's criteria.

The company's founder, Ivan Timmins, told 24dash that had the bid been successful 20 of the factory's former staff could have been reemployed instantly and all 52 of the old workforce within a year.

Mr Timmins said: "We do not understand why Remploy refused our bid. They won't talk to us. They won't negotiate. They tell us to talk to the DWP. The DWP tell us to talk to Remploy.

"If I could get in front of David Cameron, we could have this settled in a week."

Wrexham Council has confirmed that it supported Disability Employment's bid and that a 10-year contract to supply kitchens for its social housing stock was ready to be signed.

Disability Employment's bid was also supported by the Welsh Assembly and local MP, Ian Lucas. He said: "The situation is absurd. The Government says it wants to help people into work. Yet here is a company which wants to provide work. There are people who want to work. There is a site where that work could be carried out."

Remploy told 24dash: "Each submission of interest was assessed by the DWP and Remploy. End of process business plans were assessed against our criteria that included the continued employment of disabled people and the chances of long-term business success. Decisions were made last month. Disability Employment's bid for the Wrexham factory was unsuccessful."