Wales Economy Secretary, Ken Skates and Lifelong Learning Minister, Alun Davies visited Blaenau Gwent yesterday to discuss plans for the new Welsh Government funded £100m technology park.
Following last week’s announcement, the Economy Secretary and the Lifelong Learning Minister, who Chairs the Valleys Taskforce, met representatives of Blaenau Gwent Council and the Chair of the Ebbw Vale Enterprise Zone Board to begin discussions on the plans which include an automotive centre as part of a ten years development plan.
At the same time as the meeting was being held, Welsh Conservative Leader Andrew RT Davies called for evidence to support Welsh Government claims that a new automotive business park in Ebbw Vale can deliver 1,500 new jobs for the region after the ‘standalone’ project was announced as ministers controversially rejected proposals for the Circuit of Wales.
Mr Davies cited the Welsh Government’s “poor track record” in creating new jobs in this part of Wales. The Blaenau Gwent Enterprise Zone managed to create just 172 new jobs between 2011-14, with the latest figures for 2014/15 suggesting that just 8 new jobs were created over the year, he said.
The developers behind Circuit of Wales have also suggested an independent analysis should be carried out into the proposed technology park.