<p>These plans increase the likelihood of Donnington being chosen by bidders as the preferred location for a Hub and this would secure 700 jobs at Donnington and potentially create a further 450 jobs. </p> <p>I want to explain to everyone the journey the Council has taken to get to this point. Quite often residents only see the headline stories in the local press and are not aware of all the hard work that has gone on in the background. </p> <p>Back in Autumn 2010, the MOD workforce became aware that the Government were planning to consolidate its MOD logistic operation and reduce the number of sites in the UK and that Telford was at risk.&nbsp;That outcome would potentially result in shutdown of at least part of our Donnington site, which for decades has served our troops.&nbsp;Locally we stood to lose hundreds of jobs which would be devastating for the employees and our local economy. </p> <p>In November 2010 the Labour Group, who were then in opposition, put forward a motion to Full Council to campaign against the loss of jobs at the MOD. </p> <p>After the May 2011 election, when my group took over the Council’s administration, we followed through on this commitment. With senior Officers of the Council, we prepared a proposal, which demonstrated Telford’s strengths as a location for a Logistics Hub and aimed to give a better value solution for the MOD Donnington. </p> <p>Armed with this proposal and a range of incentives, we met senior MOD civil servants in Bristol to put forward our case on behalf of MOD Donnington and Telford&nbsp;and Wrekin.&nbsp;The MOD civil servants were impressed with our plan, our positive attitude and our “can do” business approach.&nbsp;They asked us to carry out some more work and firm up Telford’s offer for the Logistics Hub. </p> <p>Since then there have been numerous meetings between Council officers and MOD officials and now MOD Donnington and Telford &amp; Wrekin Council are seen as having a very credible proposition.&nbsp;To give more weight to our offer, we have submitted two planning applications and, if approved, we believe that it would result in us being ahead in the bidding process. However, it is now up to the bidders to develop their preferred solution and location for a Logistics Hub and during 2014 we will be working very hard with all the bidders to ensure we offer the best incentives and schemes to win the bid. We will leave nothing to chance to deliver for Donnington. </p> <p>Whatever the final outcome is, it will not be for the want of trying and an enormous amount of hard work by Council officers and Cabinet Members. </p> <p>In the meantime, we are holding three consultation events to give residents more detail on the two planning applications and to receive your feedback. </p> <p>These are as follows (all three will be from 3.30-8pm): </p> <ul> <li>Thursday 6 February: Donnington Life Long Learning Centre, St Matthew’s Road, Telford TF2 7RB <br /></li> <li>Friday 7 February: Hadley &amp; Leegomery Parish Council, Castle Farm Community Centre, High Street, Hadley TF1 5NL <br /></li> <li>Monday 10 February: Kynnersley Village Hall, Kynnersley, Telford, TF6 6DX</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp; </p>
