Perth politicians due to meet with Ovo Energy officials
The energy giant announced last week it was closing its Perth office where around 700 of its employees are based
Perth political leaders will hold a meeting with officials at Ovo Energy today, to discuss job losses in the Fair City. It's after the energy giant announced last week it was closing its Perth office where around 700 of its employees are based.
Local SNP MSPs John Swinney and Jim Fairlie and MP Pete Wishart have arranged a meeting with the company’s senior management on Wednesday
OVO announced last Thursday it was restructuring, which will see OVO reduce its number of UK offices from 10 to three. They will be in London, Bristol and Glasgow.
Its Perth base at Grampian House on Dunkeld Road will close.
OVO has confirmed it has launched a voluntary redundancy programme but the number of workers taking voluntary redundancy is uncertain at this point.
A new OVO Academy will be opened in Glasgow. Staff who live within 30 miles of it will be based at that office. Anyone outside the 30-mile radius will work from home.
READ MORE:**'Sadness' and 'anger' in Perth as Ovo set to close its office in the fair city**
A spokesperson for OVO said: “Scotland is a great place for our business, which is why we’re making it an operational centre of excellence, and one of our three office locations. We are opening a new OVO Academy in Glasgow, creating opportunities in the city that hosted COP26, for those who want to be at the forefront of the UK’s green revolution.
“While we’re closing some of our offices, there is an opportunity for remote working. The pandemic has changed the way we work, and many of our offices are underused with people already working remotely.
“We’re committed to investing in Scotland; creating higher skilled, better paid jobs in Scotland.”
Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart called the decision to shut the Perth office “shameful”.