SNP Perthshire politicians hold follow-up meeting with OVO

Published date : 01 March, 2022

Attn: News Desk For immediate release - 01 March 2022

News Release from Pete Wishart MP, John Swinney MSP and Jim Fairlie MSP

Mr Pete Wishart, MP for Perth and North Perthshire, Mr John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, and Mr Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, today met virtually with Adrian Letts, Retail CEO of OVO Energy Ltd. This comes after the group first met in January following OVO’s announcement of a voluntary redundancy programme for 1,700 employees, along with the closure of their Perth base.

In the first meeting, OVO were unable to confirm the scale and nature of the job losses in Perth, and the Perthshire politicians have since been seeking clarity. In today’s meeting, Mr Letts was able to confirm that no compulsory redundancies are going to be made, after a high uptake of their voluntary redundancy programme. However, he also confirmed that he expects a total of 222 job losses in Perth.

Commenting, Mr Wishart said:

“It is reassuring to hear that OVO are not making any compulsory redundancies following a high uptake of their voluntary redundancy programme.

“However, the news that over 222 jobs are set to be lost in Perth is still a devastating blow to the local labour market. These are people who live and socialise in the area, providing business to local amenities, and who may now be planning to move elsewhere. It is now vital for OVO to prioritise retaining the Perth staff who will be working from home by offering any support they may need.

“It is also extremely regrettable that OVO are not considering an alternative use for their Perth base. This is a state-of-the-art facility that cannot simply be left to rot, and I will be pushing OVO to ensure that does not happen.”

Also commenting, Mr Swinney said:

“Whilst it is good news that there will be no compulsory redundancy programme, the loss of 222 jobs will still have a potentially serious impact on the local Perthshire economy.

“To that end, I am keen to get further information regarding the status of those taking voluntary redundancy, with a particular emphasis on how many have found new jobs. OVO have agreed that they will look into this matter for us and report back with their findings.

“I am also keen to explore opportunities for the continued use of the Perth office, so as to ensure that the facility does not lie vacant. It is my understanding that preliminary discussions are underway regarding this and I will continue to monitor this matter closely.”

Mr Fairlie added:

“Whilst I am pleased that OVO are not having to consider compulsory redundancies, it remains fundamentally disappointing that they will not reconsider the closure of their Perth office. I am pleased that a high percentage of Perth-based employees have taken the decision to stay with the company, but will be pressing them to ensure that the promised permanent home working support is adequately delivered. It is vital that the Perth office finds a new purpose, and I am keen to work to find a business who can give a long-term commitment to the site.”

ENDS

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