Falkirk’s Labour councillors have welcomed this week’s announcement of a £200 million kick-start to a Grangemouth salvage bid.
But they have warned that work needs to start immediately to ensure the safety of the town’s economy.
The announcement was made by Prime Minster Keir Starmer at the Scottish Labour Party conference on Sunday.
It is intended the boost from the National Wealth Fund will generate a further £600 million of private investment through nine schemes being worked on as part of Project Willow, a scheme considering potential replacement technologies to replace those being lost through the PetroIneos refinery.
Around 400 jobs will go when the refinery closes - some redundancy notices have already been handed out - with thousands more predicted to go in ancillary industries and in businesses across the town.
When refining stops, the site will be home to a distribution centre handling oil delivered by tankers to the port at Grangemouth.
Local MPs Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth) and Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) have both spoken out strongly against the loss of the refinery and the threat the closure poses to the country’s fuel security.
A week ago, SNP leader John Swinney committed £25 million to a just transition fund for Grangemouth.
Falkirk Council Labour Group Leader Councillor Anne Hannah said the opportunity being offered must be taken seriously.
“These have been worrying times not only for the workers at the refinery and their families but also for all those in businesses dealing with it and those who depend on the workers there as customers.
“The SNP through local MP Michael Matheson, who was then Energy Secretary, was told of the possibility of closure back in 2022. Precautionary measures should have been taken then, not sitting back saying ‘let’s wait and see’.”
She went on: “At Westminster the Conservatives were doing nothing and it was left to Labour after our general election win, finally to take things seriously.
“It was important to consider all options carefully, making sure that the proposals coming forward are the right ones. We can’t afford to let down the people affected by this closure.
“It is now a time when we must all work together that so that we come up with solutions that give all these skilled workers realistic paths to a worthwhile future.”