North Wales AM Says “No Viable Bids For Remploy”

Remploy have advised North Wales AM Mark Isherwood that in fact no viable bids were put forward for the site – after we first reported that ‘heels were being dragged’ in a takeover attempt.

North Wales AM Mark Isherwood Mr Isherwood was advised by the company on Tuesday that the Wrexham bid reported is not part of the Remploy Commercial Process, because ‘no viable bids were put forward’ for Wrexham.

“They told me that the factory is now in the ‘Assist Disposal Process’ and a social enterprise has put in a bid for the site and part of their proposal is for the site to be gifted to them. They said this is a decision now for the DWP and presumably the UK Government Auditors due to the value of the site.”

Mr Isherwood added “Governments cannot just give away public assets, it’s not as simple as that.”

In the Assembly Chamber this week, Mr Isherwood responded to the Statement ‘Progress in Implementing the Welsh Government Response to the Remploy Closures’ by referring to the huge programme being undertaken by the UK Government to help disabled people into work.

Mr Isherwood said “Remploy helped 2,000 people in Wales and 220 in my patch, in Wrexham, into employment in 2010-11. Those figures have gone up to nearly 2,400 in Wales and 240 in Wrexham in 2011-12, through Access to Work Programmes, Work Choice, and the wider support provided”

Mr Isherwood says none of the above numbers include Remploy’s delivery of the UK Government’s Work Programme in Wales, which amount to a significantly larger total of job outcomes.

(North Wales AM Mark Isherwood sent through a press release referring to “reports in several North Wales newspapers” on this matter. Mr Isherwood is aware of Wrexham.com as we get his releases, however if he read the site as well he could probably find out whats going on in Wrexham days, if not weeks before other methods!)