By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 13:16, Monday, 08 October 2012

A crucial meeting that could decide the future of 300 jobs at a closure-threatened munitions depot takes place in London tomorrow.

Stewart Young

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is proposing to shut its Longtown site in 2014, transferring its explosives-storage function to Kineton in Warwickshire.

A delegation of trades union and Cumbria County Council representatives will meet Defence Minister Philip Dunne in an attempt to persuade him to keep it open.

Mr Dunne’s predecessor, Peter Luff, visited DM Longtown in August and appeared receptive to the case for saving at least some jobs there.

Stewart Young, deputy leader of the council, said: “This will be a crunch meeting. We know Peter Luff was impressed with the presentation we made to him.

“We will have to make those arguments to the new minister.”

The meeting is scheduled for one hour and has been set up by Penrith and the Border MP Rory Stewart.

He cannot attend because it clashes with the Conservative Party conference.

The council will be represented by Mr Young, fellow cabinet member Tony Markley and by John Grainger, managing director of Invest in Cumbria.

The union delegation is made up of Longtown representatives Luis Eckersley and Neil Scott of Prospect, David Saul of the PCS, plus national officials.

Mr Eckersley, chairman of the Prospect branch, said: “We are trying to convince Philip Dunne that there are still very good reasons for keeping Longtown open. There would be a risk to national security in taking it out of the equation.

“We supply Otterburn, Warcop and other northern training ranges.

“There is strong evidence to suggest that the levels of stock we carry are going to rise because of returns from Afghanistan over the next couple of years.

“The MoD will need the capacity at Longtown.”

Mr Luff had promised to make a decision by the end of the year but it is understood Mr Dunne plans to make an announcement sooner, perhaps this month.

First published at 11:29, Monday, 08 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk