Wales Office
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The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 6 February 2025.
The Secretary of State for Wales and Chair of the Transition Board, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, sought endorsement from the Board to announce 8.2 million for the South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub (SWITCH). This project will support more than 100 jobs and generate more than 87 million for the South Wales economy, supporting the Governments Plan for Change and economic growth mission.
This is the first project to receive funding as part of the growth and regeneration projects in Port Talbot. A collaboration between Swansea University, Cardiff University and the University of South Wales, with industry and public sector partners. The Transition Board funding is in addition to the 20 million from the Swansea Bay City Deal. SWITCH will deliver research to support and join up the decarbonisation transition. The announcement of further growth and regeneration projects are due to follow.
Todays release of money is the fourth announcement from the UK Governments 80m Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund which, since last July, has announced 51 million to support individual steelworkers and businesses in Tata Steels supply chain to protect jobs and grow the local economy.
The Board also discussed mental health support, and further information on the interventions being developed to support mental health in the community will be announced at the next Transition Board meeting on 27th of March, following a mental health pilot at the Neath Port Talbot Council Support Hub in Aberafan Shopping Centre.
The Board also received updates on:
- Tata Steel UKs decarbonisation programme;
- The Department of Business and Trades plans for a steel strategy;
- The Community Union Support Hub for affected workers; and
- The Transition Board funds that have already been announced, including applications received for the Supply Chain fund, and support being provided from the Employment and Skills fund.
Those in attendance included: Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning in the Welsh Government; Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department; Cllr Steve K Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council; Frances OBrien, CEO of Neath Port Talbot Council; Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg; David Rees, MS for Aberavon; Tom Giffard, MS for the region of South Wales West; Luke Fletcher MS for the region of South Wales West; Sarah Williams-Gardener; Anne Jessopp CBE; Katherine Bennett CBE independent members of the Board; Alun Davies, National Officer for Steel & Metals, Community Union and Jason Bartle