Local MPs and East Ayrshire Council Delegation Meet UK Energy Minister to Press for Action on Restoration
Local MPs Sandra Osborne and Cathy Jamieson were joined by Councillor Douglas Reid , Leader of East Ayrshire Council , Fiona Lees Chief Executive and Elizabeth Morton Deputy chief Executive in a meeting with Scotland Office Minister David Mundell and UK Energy Minister Michael Fallon in London last week.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the crisis following the collapse of Scottish Coal and Aardvark Ltd. in respect of the very substantial restoration work required and the impact on the local economy of job losses.
Sandra Osborne said :
'I had asked the Energy Minister Michael Fallon if he would meet with representatives of the Council when I met him myself earlier in the year to discuss the crisis. Whilst the present situation with opencast sites should never have happened it was not the fault of the people of East Ayrshire.It is imperative that adequate resources are found to take forward a recovery plan for the area as soon as possible and both the UK and the Scottish Government have a role in this.
Cathy Jamieson said:
' This was a useful meeting and the Minister seemed to understand the scale of the problem .But we now need action from both Scottish and UK Governments to deal with the immediate environmental issues and get restoration work underway.
Local MPs Sandra Osborne and Cathy Jamieson were joined by Councillor Douglas Reid , Leader of East Ayrshire Council , Fiona Lees Chief Executive and Elizabeth Morton Deputy chief Executive in a meeting with Scotland Office Minister David Mundell and UK Energy Minister Michael Fallon in London last week.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the crisis following the collapse of Scottish Coal and Aardvark Ltd. in respect of the very substantial restoration work required and the impact on the local economy of job losses.
Sandra Osborne said :
'I had asked the Energy Minister Michael Fallon if he would meet with representatives of the Council when I met him myself earlier in the year to discuss the crisis. Whilst the present situation with opencast sites should never have happened it was not the fault of the people of East Ayrshire.It is imperative that adequate resources are found to take forward a recovery plan for the area as soon as possible and both the UK and the Scottish Government have a role in this.
Cathy Jamieson said:
' This was a useful meeting and the Minister seemed to understand the scale of the problem .But we now need action from both Scottish and UK Governments to deal with the immediate environmental issues and get restoration work underway.