A COMMUNITY leader's bitter seven-year pension battle for workers in Ellesmere Port has ended in victory.

Borough and county councillor Brian Jones fought on behalf of former colleagues who had lost much of their pensions after the collapse of a town company.

He was 'over the moon' on Thursday when told changes to the Government's Pensions Bill mean exworkers at HH Robertson will finally be entitled to compensation.

Some 600 workers lost up to 75% of their pensions following the collapse of the steel-cladding firm in 1997.

Cllr Jones, a former HH Robertson union convenor, has been at the fore-front of the campaign for compensation. He recently travelled to London to present a 2,000-name petition to Pensions Minister Alan Johnson.

The workers had initially thought their battle was won when the Government unveiled plans to compensate workers who have lost their retirement funds. But they were dismayed to find they fell 30 days short of the 'cut-off' date of April 6, 1997.

Now the deadline date has been moved back to January 1, 1997 - only months after Cllr Jones won the support of the county council in a motion urging the Government to compensate workers who lost out prior to the original 'cut-off' date.

Cllr Jones, who is also borough mayor, said: 'This is an enormous victory for my former colleagues.

'They had paid into the HH Robertson scheme for as long as 30 years only to lose up to 75% of their pensions. This was one of the largest amounts lost by anybody.'

He added: 'Pensions are deferred income and we have been fighting to recover money which is rightly ours for seven years.

'It has been a long and, at times, very difficult fight, but this announcement means it has all been worth it.

'It will not only benefit the HH Robertson workers but many other victims who were left 'locked out' following the Government's original cut-off date.'

Cllr Jones, who represents the borough Sutton seat and the county's Groves & Whitby ward for Labour, said: 'I must express my gratitude to borough MP Andrew Miller.

'It was Mr Miller who first raised the concept of a rescue package in Parliament and has been instrumental in our fight.

'Thankfully, the Pension Protection Fund, which will protect against individuals losing their pensions when companies become insolvent, should mean no-one else will ever have to go through what we have.'

Mr Miller said: 'I promised HH Robertson workers that I'd leave no stone unturned and, in our fight for justice, every avenue has been explored.

'I was delighted to be told by Pensions Minister Malcolm Wicks that the moral justice of the case I presented resulted in the scheme being included.

'My determination to succeed in this campaign was strengthened by sterling support from the trade unions Amicus and TGWU, as well as people like Cllr Jones and the backing of many others throughout the community, including the local taxi drivers' petition.'

He said £400m will be set aside in the next 20 years so anyone losing pensions the same way will receive some redress from the Government.