Statement on behalf of the seventeenth Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board
The seventeenth Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 16th October 2025.
The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 16th October 2025.
The Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, in her role as Chair of the Transition Board sought endorsement of the revised structure and updated terms of reference for the Transition Board, following the full allocation of the UK Government’s £80 million support package. With this milestone reached, the Board agreed to refocus its efforts on tracking delivery of the funding and ensuring that support continues to be effectively directed to the region. In addition, the Board will explore potential future opportunities, such as Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW), the Celtic Freeport and the National Wealth Fund, to support the longer-term regeneration of the affected area.
The Board also welcomed Levi Roberts owner of Flame & Bake Pizzas, a recipient of Transition Board funding who talked to Board members about his experience in setting up his own business. The Secretary of State for Wales then visited South Wales Water in Port Talbot, who also received Transition Board funding and have employed former Tata Steel workers.
The Board also received updates on:
- Plans for the new £11.8 million Economic Growth & Investment Fund – jointly funded by UK Government and Tata Steel UK;
- Tata Steel UK’s decarbonisation programme;
- The Department of Business and Trade’s plans for a steel strategy; and
- The uptake of the existing Transition Board funds.
The Board also discussed the planned pauses of production at three Tata Steel sites in Wales over Christmas, and how best to minimise the impact on the affected workers.
Those in attendance included: Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; Chris McDonald MP, Minister for Industry for DESNZ and DBT; Cllr Steven Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council; Frances O’Brien, CEO of Neath Port Talbot Council; Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Chris Jaques, Chief HR Officer, Tata Steel UK; Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg; David Rees, MS for Aberavon; Tom Giffard, MS & Luke Fletcher MS for the region of South Wales West; Anne Jessopp CBE, Sarah Williams-Gardener & Katherine Bennett CBE, independent members of the Board; Mark Shervington, Regional Officer, Community Union; Tom Hoyles, Politics, Press and Research Officer, GMB Wales & Jason Bartlett Regional Officer of Unite the Union Wales.