A JOBS taskforce will hold its first formal meeting with TATA Steel bosses in Scunthorpe. The team will meet to draw up the plans to find alternative work and retraining for the 1,200 employees whose jobs are at risk.

But although officials are not denying the seriousness of the situation, the multi agency organization, chaired by local industrialist John Clugston has been given a double boost this week.

First, there have been job offers for the threatened steelworkers from three local engineering companies and more are expected.

Then, Prime Minister David Cameron announced he would meet Mr Clugston and local MPs in London for top level talks about the Scunthorpe crisis.

Before meeting, Mr Clugston said he was delighted the PM had agreed to meet him following a question in the House of Commons by Scunthorpe MP Nic Dakin.

Mr Clugston said that "This is very significant news for Scunthorpe. We want to make sure that we share messages with him and seek as much support as we can. This is a mark of how important and how deeply involved we need to be because of the importance to people, businesses and the community of this area. We are glad to have heard this news and will raise it at the first proper meeting of the taskforce today."

Fellow member of the taskforce and North Lincolnshire Council leader Councillor Liz Redfern said that "I welcome the Prime Minister's intervention. It's good that he is taking an interest in this issue and is willing to work with the task force. By agreeing to meet MPs and the chair of the taskforce, John Clugston, this is a positive step in the right direction."

In the House of Commons, Mr Dakin was further fighting the cause of Tata Steel and its Scunthorpe employees.

Urging the Government to rethink its plans to introduce a carbon floor price tax in 2013, Mr Dakin said that "The UK is competing internationally for investment. The carbon floor price represents a serious threat to our competitiveness. My own community faces serious challenges after TATA Steel announced it is putting 1,200 jobs at risk. The new tax will cost TATA Steel's UK operations GBP 20 million in the first three years and it is estimated that it will cost GBP 20 million per year by 2020. So the tax is likely to damage not only international competitiveness but also the ability to compete within the single market."

(Sourced from www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk)