Jobseeker’s claimant count falls

The latest labour market figures from the Office for National Statistics, show that the Jobseeker’s claimant count in Rochdale fell by 140 in December to 7,078.

Dr Brian Sloan, Chief Economist at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said: “The fall in the claimant count in December across Greater Manchester reinforces our view that our local economy finished the year on a much more positive note.

“However we remain cautious that the progress we have seen in the falling claimant count numbers will falter in the early part of this year as temporary workers are released following the Christmas period, we experience corporate failures and the announced public sector job cuts take place.

“There is cautious optimism amongst business, but growth remains weak and we would echo the call by the Governor of the Bank of England yesterday evening that the Government must do more to boost the slow recovery. The North West has the potential to make a substantial contribution to that growth, though the Government has not understood its role or the economic arguments underpinning rebalancing the economy towards the regions.

“Government’s role is to act where there is market failure, yet by continuing to spend substantially more on infrastructure in the South East, whilst cutting in areas of the country that have higher dependency on public sector spending, is reinforcing the country’s economic imbalances and leading to diminishing returns from government investment that could create considerably more jobs in the regions.”