Slight fall in number of job seekers in Telford & Wrekin
The latest unemployment figures for Telford and Wrekin show a small decrease in those claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) in the borough.
The figures are down by 30 from 3,325 in November to 3,295 in December – a monthly drop of less than one per cent.
This is the smallest drop in unemployment figures for the past eight months and highlights the problems faced by those seeking employment in the borough.
Telford & Wrekin Council says that High youth unemployment in the borough is a serious concern and is higher than the national figure for this age group. The number of 16–24 year olds claiming JSA in Telford and Wrekin remains higher than both the regional and national figures.
The Council's Cabinet has committed to tackling this issue. In its budget consultation, the Council has earmarked £1.3m to tackle youth unemployment and is working with local partners to find new ways to help young people find training and employment opportunities.
Attracting inward investment and supporting existing businesses to expand, with the ultimate aim of creating more jobs, getting more people in work and kick-starting the borough’s economy is a top priority for the Council.
This year will see a number of new developments bring new jobs to the borough, including the opening of the £250m Southwater development which will start recruiting to around 450 new posts in the new year and the new town centre Asda which will offer another 50 posts to local people.
Councillor Shaun Davies, cabinet member for Employment and Skills, said: “This month’s figures demonstrate the difficulty many people are currently experiencing in finding lasting employment.
“The JSA figures released today only tell part of the story with many more still unemployed who are not claiming Job Seekers Allowance.
“Another aspect of the problem is that some job seekers can have their JSA cut if they do not attend interviews or apply for jobs so in order to avoid that they take on part time and temporary contracts, which ultimately are not a long term solution.
“We need to be doing everything we can to ensure that local people have the right skills for the local jobs market. This is particularly important for young people in the borough who are finding it increasingly difficult to find employment opportunities.”
