Wylfa's 2010 closure is set to cost the area about 1,500 jobs

M�n Menai is a partnership between the Welsh Assembly Government, public bodies and the business sector in Gwynedd and Anglesey.

It was set up by the Enterprise Minister Andrew Davies late last year, who chaired the inaugural meeting.

An estimated 1,500 jobs will be lost when Wylfa is decommissioned.

However, some jobs will remain on the Anglesey site even after the station closes, as the decommissioning process is set to take several years.

The nuclear plant was one of the island's major employers

Nevertheless, Mr Davies has been under political pressure not to leave everything to the last minute.

Last November, he pledged that new European cash will go to the M�n Menai partnership.

The minister has been criticised by members of the North West Wales Economic Forum, who said he either could not or would not put a figure on how much money would be available to pay for the regeneration.

Mr Davies said: "Over the coming months and years we'll be able to come up with a very clear strategy and then we'll look at what are going to be the priorities.

"With Wylfa being decommissioned in 2010 we can't let the grass grow under our feet and that's why I've set up the M�n Menai programme to deal with that position.

"We've got a longer lead time than we've had in previous occasions when there's been changes like this."

Wylfa, along with its main customer - the smelting plant Anglesey Aluminium - is one of the biggest employers on the island.

In December, an assembly-commissioned report found Anglesey will bear the brunt of job losses in the area in the wake of Wylfa's closure.

'Diversify'

Anglesey Council leader Gareth Winston Roberts said the report brought home the "huge economic blow" the closure would bring.

The group, which met on Tuesday, aims to develop an economic strategy for north west Wales post 2010.

The island's AM, Ieuan Wyn Jones, said: "What we need to do is look at new ways of regenerating the economy.

"We need to diversify and we need to look at the news skills that are necessary.

"With the closure of Wylfa, it's important that as I, the elected member, I look at all the options.

"It is a difficult situation and there are no easy answers. Successive governments in the past have not recognised the need for a diverse economy [on Anglesey]."

Some figures on Anglesey have said the group should have met earlier and involved a wider range of people in the area.

Anglesey Councillor and former Holyhead mayor, Jeff Evans, said: "I'd like to say I was optimistic but in fact I'm pessimistic.

"The reason for that is I see agencies come and go and I don't see people coming up with many answers to the difficulties we have on Anglesey.

"It's too little, too late. Wylfa has been a problem known in this area for the last 10-15 years.