Lochaber task force meets

A task force formed to lead efforts to alleviate the economic impact of the closure of Corpach Paper Mill near Fort William will hold its first meeting on Thursday, September 8.

Set up by Lochaber Enterprise, the group includes representatives of the local enterprise company, The Highland Council, the mill's owners Arjo Wiggins, the AMICUS union, Kilmallie Community Council and Fort William and District Chamber of Commerce.

The meeting in Fort William will be chaired by local MP the Rt Hon Charles Kennedy.

The meeting will be updated by the company on the latest situation at the mill, which is due to close at the end of this month.

Charlotte Wright, chief executive of Lochaber Enterprise, said: "Along with other local agencies and the unions, we began preparing for the mill's possible closure some time ago when the company began its consultation period. The inter-agency PACE redundancy support group has been providing advice to the workforce since then.

"The task force, which is intended to co-ordinate the activities of the agencies and organisations represented on it, will look to rapidly identify and address the next steps in the process of alleviating the impact on the Lochaber economy."

Councillor Olwyn Macdonald, convener of The Highland Council's Lochaber Area Committee, said: "Although we are very disappointed indeed for the workforce employed in paper production in Lochaber, we need to recognise the value of the site at Annat and take all possible steps to replace these jobs as soon as possible."