Hartlepool MP and a senior councillor have pledged to take action over the demise of Utility Alliance

Hundreds of workers at energy consultancy firm Utility Alliance were told on Thursday they were being made redundant and it is to call in administrators.

A total of 240 staff at its Hartlepool offices and around 70 more in Newcastle and Sheffield have been made redundant due to the firm’s collapse which directors have blamed on the pandemic.

Hartlepool MP Mike Hill blamed the Government saying it did not act quickly enough or provide enough support to businesses.

He: “I am devastated by the news that Utility Alliance is going bust after providing so many jobs and such a boost to the local economy.

“The directors have made it clear that the Government support schemes have not been enough to keep their business afloat through the storm that is raging around us.

“Government have not done enough to help home-grown businesses in the UK to manage the crisis and as such around another 300 people will now be laid off.

“The blame for this both in Hartlepool, and nationally, lies squarely with the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak.

“This was avoidable if the Government had taken a stronger line earlier and secured the economy properly in the face of this crisis as other countries did.”

Mr Hill said he would work closely with Hartlepool Borough Council to try to support the workforce and to work together to encourage jobs.

He added: "I’ll also be writing to the Chancellor to highlight, yet again, the impact that his unwillingness to take a proactive approach is causing in real terms to real people.”

The council has also offered to help. Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Regeneration Services Committee, said: “This is terrible news, made doubly bitter when people in Hartlepool are suffering through – and doing their very best to battle against – Covid-19.

"Our thoughts go out to all the employees and we will be working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus to do everything we can to help and support the employees to find new jobs.”

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