HUNDREDS of redundancy-threatened miners could move a step closer to gaining vital employment support this week.

The SSI Taskforce is due to meet on Friday, January 19 to examine potential support for more than 200 workers who face the axe at ICL UK, as the firm reacts to dwindling traditional North Sea mineral reserves.

The move comes after cross-party political calls were made to use the cash pot, originally founded to support steelworkers when Redcar’s SSI UK collapsed, to help at-risk miners.

It also follows a commitment by Prime Minister Theresa May last week that miners will receive Government support to find new work.

Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and east Cleveland, who joined Redcar Labour counterpart Anna Turley and Labour east Cleveland councillor David Walsh in urging an extension of the Taskforce, is due to meet Business Minister Andrew Griffiths next week to discuss Government assistance.

He said: “The SSI Taskforce has done outstanding work supporting people affected by the collapse of SSI and there are so many people on Teesside who are grateful for the help they received at an awful time.

“I am now keeping everything crossed Taskforce members will give the green-light to supporting the miners, who are all having to live with massive uncertainty.

“The other part of the equation needed to make this happen lies in Westminster and I’ll now sit down with Mr Griffiths to press the case.”

Redcar and Cleveland Council and the Tees Valley Combined Authority are also providing support.

Mr Clarke added: “The Taskforce can’t solve everything on its own, but its support would complement the vital work of the Department for Work and Pensions, the council and Combined Authority as we seek to provide the best possible package for people at Boulby.”

If the Taskforce approves the idea, Mr Clarke said it could submit a formal request for the necessary permissions to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy almost immediately.

Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor, added: “These job losses are a hammer blow for communities across east Cleveland, and the Government needs to understand the severity of this situation.”

ICL UK, based at Boulby, east Cleveland, first revealed its restructure plan in 2015, announcing it would cut 700 jobs in separate redundancy waves after tests showed its traditional reserves, known as muriate of potash, were running extremely low.

Hundreds of workers have already left, with the firm, known locally as Cleveland Potash, switching to the multi-nutrient fertiliser polyhalite, which bosses say will secure the mine’s long-term future by generating bumper global trade deals.

The business previously received nearly £5m of Government Regional Growth Fund cash to support its polyhalite venture.