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  • "Perhaps it is for better pay and conditions. people usually travel to work when necessary. It does seem that in East Lancs the norm is to drive wages down to the national minimum rate. I don't know if this applies to the company in the article, but from my observations this is the case. East lancs is generally a low wage area much to it's detriment. The need for quality jobs with real prospects is the only way forward for the area. Depopulation is becoming a problem. The warning signs have been there for some time, The recession has slowed the depopulation at the moment. If you take a cold hard look at Employment, Housing, Health, In East Lancs, It is not an area you would choose to move to, it is an area you would move from. I wonder if the governments idea of regional pay will completely destroy the area?"
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Rossendale boss struggles to recruit workers

12:02pm Monday 30th July 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Chris Adams

JOBS are going begging in Rossendale because so many workers prefer to travel outside the borough to work.

That’s the claim of East Lancashire businessman Martin Lewis, managing director at Bacup-based Beta Group.

He claims he is struggling to fill five vacancies at the manufacturing and maintenance firm in Underbank Mill, Burnley Road, despite appeals across Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

He said: “We are a succ-essful company with busy order books and plans for continued growth in our 25th anniversary year.

“However, no matter how hard we try we can’t seem to find the people with the skills we need.”

“We employ more than 50 people, many from the Rossendale area, but response to our advertisements has been disappointing.”

He discussed the issue with the East Lancs Chamber of Commerce’s new Rossendale Business Group, and hopes employers can work together to address the issue.

Mr Lewis said a survey conducted by the group found that despite the lack of a rail link, 27per cent of people in Rossendale travel to Greater Manchester to work.

This compared with just four per cent from Burnley, and seven per cent from Blackburn.

Mr Lewis said business leaders would be talking to the education sector to ensure school leavers were aware of the careers avail-able locally.

He added: “I am also delighted to see Rossendale Council supporting the business community by attending the business leaders’ meetings.”

Mike Damms, East Lancs Chamber of Commerce chief executive, said: “There is a distinct culture of trav-elling to work that is stronger in Rossendale.

“It’s the allure of a big economy like Manchester’s, but it’s also, in part, a lack of appreciation of local opport-unities.”

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