CALLS have been made for hundreds of jobs at a controversial sustainable energy plant in Cheshire West to go to local people.

Speaking at the November meeting of Northwich Town Council, Cllr Sam Naylor said that if the construction of Lostock Sustainable Energy Plant cannot be stopped, he at least wanted to ensure jobs it was local hands doing the building work.

The mayor was speaking out after the company behind the £0.5bn project advertised an upcoming jobs fair, where those interested, can find out more about working on the project.

Cllr Naylor said: "I've been notified that the people delivering the project, much against my recommendation, are holding a jobs fair at Mere Golf Club.

"What I said from day one is that if we can't stop this, we should at least be saying, that for as far as possible, it should be jobs for locals.

"We all remember Barons Quay.

"It was a £70million project and you could count on one hand the number of people from Northwich employed on it.

"That to me, is just not on.

"This is a £0.5bn project and I've said from day one, we need to be employing local people."

Cllr Naylor, speaking at the meeting on Monday, November 1, went on to say how disappointed he was the jobs fair was not being held in the town.

"I told them we have the facilities here in Northwich," he added.

"Mere Golf Club isn't very accessible and why hold a jobs fair for a Northwich facility in Knutsford?

"The thing that we've got to do, is make sure these jobs are well advertised in and around the town.

"I've got to say, and I've told them this, that I'm very disappointed with the location for it."

The Jobs Fair will take place on November 17 at Mere Court Hotel and Conference Centre between 2pm-7pm.

The following day will see a Meet the Buyer event held at the same venue (10.30am-6.30pm) at which local suppliers will get the chance to discuss the contracts that will be available over the course of the construction project.