Published: Wednesday, 28th June 2023
Reacting to this evening’s news from Amazon, Cannock Chase Council Leader, Councillor Tony Johnson said:
“This is a really sad day for Rugeley and we feel for the workers who will be directly affected by Amazon’s proposal to close the Rugeley site and move operations to a new site in Sutton Coldfield, especially during these challenging economic times.
“Amazon is the biggest employer in Cannock Chase District with around 1,000 workers, several hundred of whom live locally. This will also impact the town’s wider economy.
“The company was a welcome addition to our area after the demise of the town’s coal mining industry and created many jobs, funded community initiatives, and established a liaison group with councillors.
“While we note there are no plans for compulsory redundancies we will be looking to create a local task force with Staffordshire County Council, the Department for Work and Pensions, our MP Amanda Milling, and other partners. This will help those workers who can’t transfer to another Amazon site find other jobs locally, and to consider how the district can best respond to the loss of this major employer.
“Our district remains a good place to do business, offering a dedicated and skilled workforce, good infrastructure and excellent transport links. Through the task force we will bounce back.”