Bristol mayor Marvin Rees vows to help 50 Bristol Energy staff facing the axe

It comes after the city council sold the remaining part of the business last week to Together Energy for £14million

Marvin Rees has vowed to help 50 Bristol Energy employees facing redundancy.

It comes after the city council sold the remaining part of the business last week to Together Energy for £14million, including the domestic customer accounts, 155,000 residential meter points, company brand and systems.

A total of 110 frontline workers are transferring over to the new firm and will remain at the offices in Bristol with their jobs secured as part of the deal.

But a further 50 staff are now subject to consultation over their future employment following the takeover by Scotland-based Together Energy.

Speaking during a Facebook Live, the city mayor said: “That deal includes the fact that 110 frontline workers will remain employed by Together Energy under that contract to take care of that workforce.

“Fifty workers will be subject to consultation but will also have the opportunity to apply for jobs in the city council as well.

“This sale marks the end of Bristol City Council’s relationship with the business.

“We have said we are not going to step away from the challenge we took on which was to try to make the best of this situation,” he said during the broadcast on Wednesday, September 9.

A council spokesperson said afterwards: “During our conversations with the group they have been encouraged to consider applying for vacancies at Bristol City Council, around 100 of which have been advertised since June, and we will make sure they are made aware of new opportunities as they arise.

Want Bristol news straight to your inbox?

Sign up to our daily newsletter using the box at the top of this article, read all about what's involved here, or click here to see all of our newsletters

“As part of our commitment, we will also be providing any Bristol Energy colleague with access to all the council’s internal vacancies if they are made redundant following the transfer.’’

The local authority sold Bristol Energy’s business accounts for £1.34million last month to Yü Energy.

But the amounts recouped are dwarfed by the £36.5million the council has sunk into the business since it set it up five years ago, while the company has posted total losses of £32.5million.