Anger over BLES closure

I write to express my real anger and frustration at the closure of the Blackburn Local Employment Service (BLES) due to problems with funding.

Over the past 30 years BLES has trained thousands of young people in construction trades whilst developing their life skills helping them secure jobs, further training or set up their own business.

It has helped many school leavers grow in confidence, mature and build a good life.

Having worked with BLES for the last few years to try and help them overcome their financial difficulties it is clear to me that the Scottish Government’s intransigence is largely to blame for the organisation’s demise.

Had the Scottish Government been willing to offer just a little flexibility in the way that training places are funded then BLES would be able to offer many more young people a positive future.

The reality is that when I accompanied representatives from BLES to meet SNP Minister Keith Brown to discuss the future of BLES he was completely unwilling to even consider the options put forward.

What is further galling is that the two local MSPs who also happen to be Cabinet Ministers – Fiona Hyslop and Angela Constance have not lifted a finger to help.

This stands in stark contrast to West Lothian Council whose officials and councillors have bent over backwards to help BLES and continue to do so.

The loss of BLES is a sad day for West Lothian and was wholly avoidable.