Hundreds of Shropshire civil servants threatened with the dole queue got an early Christmas present today when the Government announced their jobs would stay in Telford.
Union leaders for the 460 defence workers at Sapphire House, Stafford Park, hailed the U-turn a “victory for common sense”. The news was greeted with joy by borough MPs David Wright and Mark Pritchard.
They have both campaigned to save the Telford jobs at Sapphire House, which is part of the Defence Logistics Organisation which ensures Britain’s forces are equipped with everything from boots to tanks all over the world.
Defence chiefs announced last year that Sapphire House would close in 2008 and its jobs moved to the Bath/Bristol area in a “co-location” shake-up designed to save £200 million over 25 years.
Now, after a huge campaign led by the public sector union PCS, the Ministry of Defence has changed its mind.
In a letter to Mr Wright, Baroness Ann Taylor, minister for defence equipment and support, says Sapphire House’s work and staff will instead transfer to the Army Base and Repair Organisation based at Donnington in a new merged organisation called the Defence Support Group.
She says this would “achieve better value for money” than co-location or doing nothing.
Staff will remain in Sapphire House until the lease expires in 2011 and then move to alternative accommodation in Telford. The workforce will be slimmed down by 100 under a voluntary early release scheme.
Andy Gilbertson, Sapphire House PCS spokesman said: “We’re absolutely over the moon at this U-turn.
“It’s been a long road but we’ve been vindicated.”
David Wright MP said: “This is brilliant news and the best possible Christmas present for staff in Telford.”
Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard said: “This victory is a good example of the whole community pulling together. I hope it underscores Telford’s future as a defence hub.”
By Lisa Rowley
7 Comments
please get your facts right its not 460 staff here its 305 with abro needing 220 who did the reporting, early release will still go ahead for staff who wish to early…
Yay!!!im so pleased iv still got a job!!!would love to hear how much money was wasted in the process though!!
The Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) mentioned in your report ceased to be on 01 Apr 07. The correct organisation is Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) which combines the DLO and DPA.
i well remember the move from b5 to saphire house what a job that was.
No Deby, you’re wrong, there are more than 305 staff at Sapphire House. What was said was there were only 305 posts in scope for the DSG (Defence Support Group) jobs and these would ultimately be cut to 220. Hopefully most of the cuts would be by voluntary early release.
I’m very happy after a few years of uncertainty.
merry christmas sapphire house, really are you inc DHE and The Home Office in those figures, look around at DE&S staff there’s not many of us left,I did hear the ref to cut to 220 my colleagues heard the same, we are all entitled to our opions about the star reporting and dont get me started on the local MP’s AGAIN MY OPINION.
Who cares about figures they always get them wrong anyway!!the people who want jobs have got them & the people who want redundancy will have that!this is a time to be happy people stop arguing!!:o)