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Job prospects in Leicestershire improving at faster rate than rest of UK

21 - 07 - 2010

Employment prospects in Leicestershire are improving at a faster rate than the rest of the UK, figures suggest.

Statistics released yesterday showed the number of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants in the county fell by 1,244 – 5.5 per cent – to 21,125 last month.It was the biggest recorded monthly fall in almost three years.

The decline compared with the 1.4 per cent drop in the number of claimants nationally in June, to 1.46 million.

Experts said it showed the county was doing better to fight its way out of the recession than the rest of the UK. They were confident the positive trend would continue.

Hundreds of small firms in Leicestershire are believed to be looking to create jobs over the next few months.

Business leaders hoped the employment boost would help offset the hundreds of public sector redundancies expected as a result of spending cuts by the Government.

Martin Traynor, managing director of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Last month’s fall in the claimant count is excellent news.

“It concurs with the findings of our quarterly economic survey, which said both manufacturers and service sector firms were looking to recruit.

“Hundreds of small firms are looking to take on new staff over the next few months.

“The fact we are outperforming the rest of the country highlights how robust the county is.”

Desford construction equipment Caterpillar has announced it is taking on 300 staff, while low-cost airline Jet2.com is recruiting for a further 150 posts at East Midlands Airport.

Other firms creating jobs include aerospace parts maker AVi, of Oadby, and Leicester insurance company Brett & Randall.

It was revealed yesterday that 1,500 NHS managers and administrative staff in Leicestershire could lose their jobs in a shake-up of health services.

More than 1,000 job cuts are also expected to be made by the city and county councils.

However, Mr Traynor said public sector job losses should not have as big an impact on the county’s economy as they would in other areas.

He said: “Because of the consultation and notice periods, I don’t think we’ll see the full impact of public sector redundancies until after Christmas, by which time more private sector jobs will have been created.”

David Hughes, chief executive of Prospect Leicestershire, the agency charged with helping create jobs in the county, said he was talking to many businesses that were looking to expand after an upturn in demand.

He said: “From the conversations I’m having with small and medium-sized businesses in Leicestershire, there are companies which want to go to that next level by expanding and creating jobs.”

Professor Eric Pentecost, economics lecturer at Loughborough University, said: “The large entrepreneurial culture and diverse economy in Leicestershire certainly helps its jobs market.”

Source: This is Business – East Midlands Online, Thursday, July 15, 2010

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