Council and Co-op joining forces to tackle unemployment

Dec 1 2011 by Leona Greenan, Hamilton Advertiser

UNEMPLOYMENT in North Lanarkshire is set to be tackled by one of the area’s biggest employers.

Bosses at the new Co-operative warehouse in Newhouse have teamed up with North Lanarkshire Council and agreed to develop a number of initiatives that will provide a much-needed boost to the jobs market in the region.

The move comes at a time when there are currently 11,520 people claiming Job Seekers Allowance in North Lanarkshire.

The Cooperative, whose distribution centre supplies Coop supermarkets and stores throughout Scotland, is investigating how best their Apprenticeship Academy can work with North Lanarkshire's Working Employability Service to provide opportunities for local unemployed people.

They are also supportive of working with the council to identify appropriate jobs at the Newhouse site for those with additional learning needs and other disabilities. A follow-up meeting in the new year with North Lanarkshire's Working will consider all of the training and employment schemes on offer.

Access to public transport for Co-operative employees and winter roads maintenance for the area was also discussed and the council agreed to follow up on this with the relevant services.

Council chief executive Gavin Whitefield said: “The Co-operative are a major employer within the area and we are keen to foster close links, especially in such challenging times.

“I was very impressed with the Newhouse centre and the Co-operative's position regarding the employment of local people.

“We have offered to support the business in the development of Corporate Social Responsibility policies and projects in due course and link this to local- and community-based activity where there is greatest need.”

For the Co-operative, Mr Smith said: “We were delighted to welcome and meet with Gavin Whitefield on his first visit to our brand new distribution facility.

“He was especially interested to hear about the distribution process and, more importantly, the jobs being created and the major investment in the local economy.”

He added: “I think we have laid a sound foundation for what I hope will be a positive and fruitful relationship.”

It is expected that the Newhouse distribution site – when fully operational – will employ up to 1000 people.