As Assembly Member for the Rhondda, I welcome Remploy’s announcement that they have received viable bids for its E-cycle business at Porth. The Remploy Board asked for expressions of interest in its Porth site in December 2012. Since then, the Board has judged the viability of bids on a series of criteria including continued employment of disabled people, value for money and the sustainability of the businesses. The Board has now invited bidders to submit best and final offers for these businesses and sites.
I have been a regular visitor to the Remploy factory at Dinas in Porth over the last decade. Since the UK Government announced its consultation into employment services for disabled people, I have repeatedly visited the factory to offer my support to the workers and to discuss options for the site’s future.
Following a recent visit to the factory, I stated that I believed that the Porth Remploy factory could have a bright future if the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions recognised its potential. I am pleased to hear that Remploy has now received viable bids for the business. I will continue to support the workers at the site during the on-going process as final bids are received and assessed.