Conservative run West Somerset Council will do all in its power to help employees at Watchet paper mill who look likely to lose their jobs by the end of the year.
The Council is working closely with partners and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to help the 176 workers at the town’s major employer, DS Smith at Wansborough Mill.
Council Leader, Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellew, met the mill’s management with Bridgwater and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger on Tuesday. Afterwards Cllr Trollope-Bellew said: “It is vital that we try to secure the best possible deal for all those who stand to lose their jobs.
“The mill has been the principal employer in Watchet, and one of the largest employers in West Somerset, for many years, and its significance cannot be underestimated.
“The priority now is to do all we can to support the staff affected and to work with Watchet Town Council and other partners. The proposal to close the mill would inevitably have an effect on Watchet and West Somerset. It is our duty to mitigate that.
“I will be working closely with our MP in our joint aim to secure the best possible outcome for the workforce and the wider community.”