SKILLS bosses in North Yorkshire have earmarked £250,000 to help retrain Selby miners into new jobs.

The region's Clifton Moor-based Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will use the cash to cushion the blow of closure of the Selby Coalfield.

David Harbourne, chief executive of the LSC North Yorkshire, is already part of the new Selby miners' £30 million task force chaired by Lord Haskins.

The Task Force will tackle the consequences of 2,000 direct job losses over the next 20 months and many more in related services.

Even before the announcement of closures, the LSC had identified the Selby district as needing particular support.

David Harbourne said: "This announcement has been expected for some time, but it is still a crushing blow to the many miners who work in the Selby coalfield and to the thousands of others whose jobs will now be on the line in the local area.

"The LSC has already been working with Yorkshire Forward and other partners to boost learning and skills in the area. Our aim now must be to invest even more time and money in helping people develop new skills because this will boost their chances of finding other ways of making a living, such as starting a second career or setting up their own businesses.

"The LSC has an important role to play here, alongside Yorkshire Forward, Jobcentre Plus and others. We have excellent links with learning providers in the area, backed up by detailed knowledge of trends in the labour market. We will also act as the link with other local LSCs - notably in West and South Yorkshire.

"This is important, because many of the people who work in the Selby mines actually live outside the county of North Yorkshire and we will need to make sure learning opportunities are open to them where they live as well as where they work."

Updated: 10:04 Tuesday, August 27, 2002