Since the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions, and throughout the summer, Robin has been visiting businesses throughout Aberconwy to learn more about the issues that they are facing and the support that they need to recover from the forced closures and restrictions that they have endured throughout the pandemic.
Many businesses, in particular many businesses within the hospitality and tourism sectors, have highlighted the challenges of recruiting, and retaining, enough staff and have outlined the wider consequences for Aberconwy and for the wider North Wales economy.
On Monday Robin hosted a roundtable discussion with Aberconwy businesses, DWP and Job Centre Plus staff and Mimms Davies MP, the Minister for Employment. The purpose of the discussion was to feedback to the Minister on the skills shortages and recruitment challenges being faced, especially within the hospitality sector, and to explore solutions to rectify these issues.
Robin said: “Aberconwy has seen an impressive recovery from the pandemic and, according to some reports, Llandudno has experienced the fastest recovery of any town in the UK.
“After the restrictions and forced closures throughout the pandemic, businesses across Aberconwy have risen to the challenge of unprecedented visitor numbers and I am very proud of the imagination, resilience and flexibility of our local businesses, employees and entrepreneurs.
“From visiting and speaking with so many businesses throughout the summer it has become increasingly clear that the skills and staffing shortages are the greatest challenges that they face and are the biggest hinderance to further investment and expansion. Tourism and hospitality are at the heart of our local economy and, as Aberconwy’s MP, I felt it hugely important to take these concerns directly to the Minister for Employment.”
During the discussion, that included representatives from businesses throughout Aberconwy, the Minister listened to the new recruitment challenges that local employers are facing because of the pandemic. Examples included a greater preference for flexible and home working and difficulties in securing sponsorship for overseas workers. In addition, despite increasing wages in the hospitality sector, employers are now competing for staff against pandemic specific health services with, for example, workers for Track and Trace or Coronavirus test sites earning a minimum of £15 per hour.
Berin Jones, the Chairman of the Llandudno Hospitality Association, added that “the recruitment crisis we’re facing is reverberating throughout the wider economy. No hotel, restaurant, or any other business that relies upon on site operational staff is going to invest in expansion when they fear that they won’t be able to staff it. Builders, tradesmen, everyone is being affected and many will leave.”
Following the discussion Mimms Davies MP said: “I am grateful to Robin for hosting this useful discussion and to all the employers that participated. I have listened carefully to the concerns and challenges that were highlighted, especially around seasonality, retention and skills shortages. We are already working to address many of these challenges, such as through the cut in the taper-rate of Universal Credit and through our new ‘Multiply’ scheme to improve numeracy, and I look forward to working with Robin, employers, our fantastic Job Centre Plus teams and with the Welsh Government to alleviate the skills and recruitment challenges being faced.”
