THREE years ago the Corus steelworks closed with the loss of 500 jobs.

The effect of losing quality jobs was devastating not only for Ebbw Vale but for Blaenau Gwent as a whole.

The regeneration of the 200-acre Corus site has been made a priority to enable the area to make some sort of recovery.

An ambitious master plan drawn up between Blaenau Gwent council, the Welsh Development Agency and the National Assembly provides new hope with the construction of a community hospital, housing and a learning campus - once the land has been cleared of its industrial past.

But Blaenau Gwent MP and AM Peter Law believes not enough has been done in the three years since the closure.

In a two-pronged attack during his maiden speech in the House of Commons, Mr Law not only criticised progress on the Corus site but also Tony Blair and his government for treating the once-loyal Labour heartland of Blaenau Gwent with diffidence.

"We just haven't had the jobs in Blaenau Gwent," said Peter Law. "We've had some jobs but we haven't had the quality jobs that disappeared when Corus closed in 2002.

"The community has gone into meltdown and we haven't recovered from it. It is three years on and although I'm grateful to the companies that have moved in, it is just not enough.

"If the kids of today are to have a future, we have to attract quality jobs so we can give them their chance to have a place in the sun.

"When 500 jobs were taken away, it left an awful lot of poverty. There are a lot of poverty problems in Ebbw Vale. The town was devastated when the steelworks closed.

He said: "I think industry should be directed to Ebbw Vale by central government because regional aid is not sufficient to attract them.

"It has happened in other areas so why not here?

"Tony Blair didn't come here when the steelworks closed, nor did any government ministers bother to visit Ebbw Vale. That is one of the reasons why people are so despondent about New Labour because there is a perception they are indifferent about us.

"This is a great socialist and trade union constituency where we have traditional values and we look out for each other and that is difference between us and Tony Blair."

Former Blaenau Gwent MP Llew Smith agrees that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown could have done more for Blaenau Gwent in the wake of the devastating Corus closure.

He said: "What annoyed people in Blaenau Gwent during the election campaign was that they saw Tony Blair and Gordon Brown going to Longbridge in the aftermath of the collapse of Rover. People thought if they could go there why didn't they come to Blaenau Gwent?"

Peter Law's view that progress on the Corus closure could have been handled better is backed up by local Amicus trade union official Dai Davies, who was the convenor of the steelworks site.

Mr Davies, who acted as agent for Peter Law during the general election, said: "There are three areas that really concern me.

"Firstly, misleading information has come out about the site. The public should have been told about the clearance of the site and that it could take five years. We are three years down the line and bricks and mortar are not going to be laid until at least January of next year.

"Secondly there is huge difference between consultation, negotiation and dictatorship. The powers-that-be are consulting but it is being ignored. They are presenting development as a fait accompli and that is not consultation.

"Thirdly, what really concerns me is what will happen when the steelworkers who found work elsewhere in Llanwern and Port Talbot finish? At the moment they are bringing a wage of £24,000-plus into the community. When they finish, it will be the loss of another significant wage."

'Shining example'

Not everybody shares the view progress is too slow on the Corus site.

Independent Badminton councillor Clive Meredith said: "I suppose there have been issues that have taken a while to iron out but as far as I'm concerned, it is moving forward as quickly as it can. I hope it all goes ahead and it doesn't take too long. We can't hurry it up because if there is a mistake, somebody will have to pick up the tab.

"I want it to be done correctly first time around and I'm happy with the way it is being developed.

"I think it would be a big plus if we have a higher education facility; that is what is really needed."

Blaenau Gwent council leader John Hopkins, who is also chairman of the partnership board to develop the Corus site, said: "How dare anyone criticise Tony Blair and the Labour government for what they have done and are continuing to do in Blaenau Gwent.

"Since Labour came to power in 1997 we have almost 2,000 more nurses and 35 doctors across the Gwent NHS trust. We have £35 million of new funding for a hospital as well as several health projects running in Blaenau Gwent.

"We've 71 extra teachers in Blaenau Gwent thanks to Labour and the percentage of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs at grades A to C has increased from 32.1% to 41.6%.

"We've helped 2,560 back into work through the New deal.

"Unemployment is down 36.5% since 2000."

He said: "I'm optimistic for the future of the Corus site and everything is going to plan."

And regeneration of Ebbw Vale and transformation of the former Corus steel plant came in for high praise from outside Wales this week.

A ringing endorsement came from the 14 local authorities in steel areas across Britain who work together as SteelAction. They said the work on the site to date was "a shining example to all declining industrial areas in the UK".

SteelAction said the masterplan for development for the area was 'visionary and vibrant' and praised the speed with which the partners worked for the common good.