Why we must back local services

7:00am Thursday 30th October 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

WITH reference to the story in Northwich Guardian, October 15, I have known Ian and Diane Johnson for more than 30 years and like his father Eric, Ian is totally committed to living, working, and supporting apprentice training, sporting events and local charities, within the Northwich locality.

The Johnson electrical business has contributed to the training of hundreds of apprentice electricians, the majority of whom have gone on to better themselves in managerial positions and in self employed roles.

In Mid-Cheshire College over many years, the majority of the electrical apprentices were not from the big chemical conglomerates of Cheshire, but from Johnson’s.

My next point comes to the issue of procurement of services for projects. Fundamental changes over a period of years has precluded smaller companies from tendering for individual parts of contracts unless the main contractor deems it fit to utilise local labour. As detailed nationally many of these larger companies prefer to import and employ foreign labour via the direct labour route on these larger projects for reasons only apparent to them and our local and national governments.

Locally we have first class building, heating, electrical, and security companies that are perfectly capable of fulfiling any contract, while contributing and offering, beneficial training and employment, for younger and older workers who are reliant on work to fulfil family needs, and service the local fabric of our community.

Yes that includes you councillors. Let’s see a robust response and a few restrictive caveats going into these local £multi million contracts.

ELWYN JONES