Andrew visited the Siemens Goole site today along with Finbarr Dowling of Siemens and the Mayor of Goole Josie, and local representatives Nick Coultish, Anne Handley, Barbara and David Jeffreys, Caroline Fox and Liz Sargeantson.
Following the visit, Andrew said, "Obviously much of my focus at the moment is trying to resolve the Steel Works issue in Scunthorpe. The Government is underwriting all the salaries and costs at the site to keep it going and is working to find a new buyer to unlock the tens of millions of Government funding we want to put into the site. This investment has to comply with EU state aid rules and I am sure we can secure a future for the site and do just that.
"However, it was also good earlier to do a site visit with Finbarr Dowling of Siemens and local Councillors from across the Goole area and the Mayor of Goole. As many of them are new I wanted them to hear first-hand from Siemens how plans are progressing on the new train factory.
"I really wanted the people of Goole to elect new Councillors this May who would work with me, not against me, to deliver for the town. That's why it is great to have the two new Goole North Conservative Councillors, Nick Coultish and Anne Handley and Goole South's new Independent Councillors, Barbara and David Jeffreys representing the town and being committed to working with me.
"Along with Snaith Ward Councillors, Caroline Fox and Liz Sargeantson we had a really good catch up with Finbarr and got to hear not just about the train factory plans but also the plans by Siemens to construct a new office and innovation centre on the land across the road from the train factory site.
"Planning has now been submitted and the hope is to have work commencing on site in the next year or so. We all committed again to working with Siemens in partnership in any way we can to support the plans. It was really refreshing to finally have all of the locally elected representatives working together with no silly political games getting in the way."
