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Taken from the Socialist Unity blog “Continuing the success of our 20-year relationship with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and its predecessors, we are delighted to have the opportunity to work on such a strategically important initiative. With over 26 years of experience providing dynamic and innovative support to a variety of disadvantaged groups, the award of this contract reflects the significance of our work in delivering the DWP’s New Deal for Disabled Persons scheme, where we are one of the leading providers in the UK.” (Tony Garrett, Group Managing Director of Instant Muscle). Instant Muscle was one of these much vaunted organisations contracted to deliver part of Pathways to Work scheme. They were awarded a £11m contract last November to run the scheme in...

Concerned by the prospects of a Future for Hirwaun, Leighton Davies writes : “The village is going nowhere if the people of Hirwaun dont shape up and start using what we have here instead of going out of the village.” “Five years ago i would have never thought that Hirwaun would ever get this bad that the [...]...

Would the last Employer to Leave Aberdare please switch off the lights. It’s no joking matter … Aberdare’s biggest employer is apparently a plastics-factory now threatened with closure. The news that Everwhite Plastics are in dire financial straits has triggered a predictable political response. Start of the Funny Season Politicians have started making wild promises. Unlike Pinocchio their noses will not grow longer. They will, however, attempt to out-lie each other. We can smell your Cant If you can smell the Cant from Cardiff Bay it’s due to one fact : In May 2008, only four months hence, there are elections for the local council. Nearabouts the factory threatened with closure are some of the most marginal and contested seats in the County Borough of Rhondda...

Good News today for Aberdare people… Remploy announced today that the Cwmbach Remploy site will remain open. Remploy is the UK’s leading provider of employment services for disabled people. Today it published details of revised proposals for modernisation of the company. Following lengthy consultations with trade unions, the company is proposing to retain operations at the Cwmbach site. Remploy was opened in Aberdare in 1973 and is part of the company’s healthcare business and manufactures orthotic products, mainly bespoke footwear. It now employs 68 people of whom 64 are disabled. The company is planning to keep the site open in order to develop a plan to support potential increases in business for orthotics arising from public procurement regulations. Bob...

It's been labelled the School for Slaughter by its opponents. Its proponents call it the biggest ever investment in Wales. Now a campaign to fight the establishment of a new military training centre in St Athan is gathering pace. In January 2007, the London government announced the success of the St Athan and Metrix bid to establish a new military training academy. In Wales, the first Minister Rhodri Morgan and the economic minister Andrew Davies sprayed champagne outside the Senedd in celebration. The local media gave the impression was that this was just about the best thing that had ever happened to Wales: £14 billion worth of contract and around 5,000 jobs. But how will this military academy contribute to the Assembly's proud goal of achieving sustainable development? What...