A RAPID response team has begun working to minimise the impact of the hundreds of potential job cuts by cross channel ferry operator P&O.

News of more than 600 redundancies from Dover’s biggest ferry company were greeted with horror last week. But already the authorities and companies are working together to reduce the economic blow to the town.

This week a spokesman for P&O Ferries confirmed the 90-day consultation period has already started to comply with employment legislation requirements.

It was a lengthy procedure and therefore it was not possible to comment further on the process at this stage.

But in the meantime MP Gywn Prosser, representatives of Dover District Council, Kent County Council and South East England Development Agency have been working with P&O, Dover Harbour Board and the Job Centre to create a response to the job losses.

A team of people funded by the government will be sent to Dover to help the sacked seafarers retrain and find new jobs.

Mr Prosser, MP for Dover and Deal, said: “There are currently 600 job vacancies in Dover, but not a significant number of them will match the skills of the people coming out of P&O.”

The redundant staff could be put on “accelerated” schemes for retraining, which normally unemployed people have to wait more than six months for.

He said he thought the company had rushed the decision and was still hoping they would be able to lower the number of job cuts.

Since the company changed the working patterns of their staff to “week on week off” many of their staff have been recruited from outside the district.

“It is still a tragedy for the individuals but it lessens the impact on the community,” stressed Mr Prosser.