Unemployment falls in Winchester

10.20.06am GMT Fri 22nd Jan 2010

The number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance dropped by 59 to 1205 in December (a 4.9% drop) - the lowest unemployment figure since July.

Much of the fall was accounted for by the City Wards and adjacent areas of Littleton, Harestock, Olivers Battery and Badger Farm, which between them made up 45 of the 59 decline. Alresford, Colden Common & Twyford also saw improvements, with a further 10 accounted for by a drop in the number of people claiming JSA in Alresford from 60 to 50, and 11 by a drop in Colden Common & Twyford from 63 to 52.

Liberal Democrat PPC, Martin Tod, commented:

"We still have more than twice the level of unemployment we had before the recession started, but this is definitely a move in the right direction. The unemployment figures for Winchester don't normally fall this much in December, which makes it all the more encouraging. The hope now is that we continue this trend in 2010. If this is the first sign of a recovery, then it's vital that it's not choked off too early."