Southern Water: Councillor 'concerned' by large job losses

According to the trade union Unison, 220 customer service staff at Southern Water, which has its headquarters in Worthing, have been told that their work will transfer to Capita on August 1, with a small number of staff remaining in the business. Click here to read more.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, cabinet member for regeneration and deputy leader, said: "We are naturally concerned to hear the news that Southern Water are seeking to make changes that may impact on the workforce in Worthing, but we recognise that across all industries businesses have from time to time to undergo reorganisations.

"We have yet to fully understand what the final impact will be on the workforce as Southern Water have only just announced this consultation process.

"As a council we remain fully committed to growing our local economy, creating new jobs and opportunity. We will continue to push our regeneration programme and investment in the town as a whole."

He said this work had helped to secure HMRC moving to Teville Gate House, bringing 900 jobs into the town centre. He added that the council was still committed to bringing forward the council's plans to create 15,000 square metres of new employment space at Decoy Farm in East Worthing.

Mr Jenkins said: "Worthing has a strong track record of employment. In the first quarter of 2019, the employment rate in Worthing was 85.6 per cent, compared against the national average of 78.5 per cent."