Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for Ynys Môn Rhun ap Iorwerth has continued to put pressure on Welsh Government regarding economic support for the north of the island and has asked that support for the workers at Rehau Amlwch is stepped up again and to explore investment opportunities for the economy in the area.

In a question to Welsh Government Minister for Economy Ken Skates on Wednesday, Mr ap Iorwerth compared the seriousness of the situation in the north of Anglesey to that being experienced in Bridgend at the moment, with the announcement of Rehau’s intended closure in Amlwch, adding to a number of economic blows suffered in the region in 2019.

In a letter received by Mr ap Iorwerth from the Minister on June 5th, Mr Skates said Welsh Government had established a taskforce to consider economic solutions for the Amlwch area, but in a recent statement in the Assembly the Minister confessed that more significant arrangements had been made to deal with the crisis in Bridgend.

The Ynys Môn AM has therefore pushed for the same level of arrangements to be secured for Amlwch, with the Minister agreeing to revisit the situation.

Mr ap Iorwerth said:

“Recently, in the context of the announcement about the Ford factory in Bridgend, we heard the Minister say that he would want to go further than the taskforce model because of the size of the threat there in Bridgend, and I agree with that, certainly.

“The Rehau announcement, on top of the negative announcements recently regarding the economy of northern Anglesey, is also especially serious, considering the population and the rural element and so forth. So, I would welcome a commitment to look at going further than the taskforce model in the case of north Anglesey and to look at special investments in developing the economy there.

“I’d also ask that Welsh Government supports the idea of the site being left as a legacy to the local economy in order to ensure that what was an important economic hub can continue in the future.”