Created by Bob Blizzard, Waveney Constituency Labour Party, 35 High Street, NR32 1HY.
Hosted by Graphics Matter 3DW Ltd, 178 London Road North, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 1HB

Letter from Westminster - January 2010

Employment has been the main issue in Lowestoft since the recessions of the 1980s and 90s knocked the heart out of the local economy with the disappearance and decline of so many traditional industries from the Coop canning factory and the coach works to shipbuilding and fishing. I can remember when unemployment reached 14% in the 90s and it still stood at 11.5% when I became MP in 1997.

So as recession started to bite again at the beginning of 2009, we once again feared the worst. But this recession has been different because of government intervention.

The jobless figure rose from about 3% where it had settled for 5 or 6 years, to 5% last March. However, since then it has steadily fallen and even went down again last month in the middle of winter to 4.1%.

Sadly, just as we thought we had weathered the storm, two dark clouds appeared. Jeld Wen is set to close by the summer with a loss of 190 jobs. This is not a surprise as the factory has been run down for years, but it is still a shock when it happens, a tragedy for those working there, and a blow to the local economy.

SLP has been one of our most successful businesses for many years and is currently constructing one of its biggest ever modules. The company had a strong order book of future work, but a multi million pound legal dispute with Danish giant, Maersk, broke its back, forced it into administration, and so the future is uncertain for over 700 employees.

I’m sure another company will buy SLP and the business does have a strong future in Lowestoft, but there may well be a gap between the completion of the big BP module in the yard and the next orders. I have convened a special task force of key organisations to give all the support they can. I’ve spoken to Business Secretary, Peter Mandelson and he stands ready to help.

But the future for Lowestoft’s economy is still bright. Offshore wind farms are already a reality and Lowestoft is the ideal location to benefit from the jobs involved in developing and maintaining them. Because we thought ahead and succeeded in securing the £9m OrbisEnergy centre, the firms developing the nearby Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm are already setting up shop in the town and we’ll soon see helicopters at work.

The new £15 billion East Anglia Array wind farm just announced by the Prime Minister is right on our doorstep and is ten times bigger, with 1000 turbines. Experts calculate 1000 turbines equals 1000 jobs plus 4000 in the supply chain. Many turbines will be so far offshore they will need accommodation platforms to house those who will maintain them. We have the expertise and experience to make these at SLP.

That’s why I believe that wind energy will blow away the current clouds – and help to save us from rising sea levels too!