Yesterday saw the announcement of September’s jobless figures, highlighting a slowdown in the growth rate of unemployment. However, while this trend is cautiously welcome, the figures reveal continuing problems in Wyre Forest. Wyre Forest now has 2,580 claimants, up 104% since September 2008.
That means that 4.5% of Wyre Forest (including Kidderminster) residents are now claiming unemployment benefit. But in the Jobcentre Plus, there are just 205 vacancies meaning that there are 13 claimants for every vacancy.
Mark Garnier says: “We have a very serious problem here in Wyre Forest. The local claimant rise is way above the national average, whilst our numbers of claimants and proportion of the population claiming are also above national average.
“It is at times like these that it is incredibly important – particularly in Wyre Forest – to have a local Member of Parliament who understands the local economy and business environment and who has a plan to help local businesses.
“Not only have Conservatives published plans to get Britain working, including hundreds and thousands of training and apprenticeship places, but I have also shown how I will be proactive to attract more businesses to Wyre Forest to provide more opportunity locally, to work to develop the local infrastructure, and to use my time building the local economy so that our next generation has a chance.”