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Jobs figures sign of hope
The first signs the county might be reaching the bottom of the recession have emerged with a fall in the number of people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance last month.
Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics for April and May showed the number of people claiming benefits in East Northamptonshire falling by 50 to 1,822 and by 12 in Wellingborough to 2,367.
And while there were small increases in Kettering and Corby, the overall figure for the north of the county rose by just seven.
Business leaders have said the figures point to the first signs of a possible recovery in the Northamptonshire economy.
And there was further good news in the housing market with the National Association of Estate Agents revealing there was an average of four house-hunters chasing every property on the market last month.
But a jobs fair held by Kettering Council with JobCentre Plus yesterday saw more than 300 people desperate for work turn up, illustrating the state of the economy.
Commenting on the job figures, Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Paul Griffiths said: "These figures, although still showing a rise in the number of people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance in Northamptonshire, do show a glimmer of hope.
"The fact that the number of claimants has actually gone down in Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire is extremely positive.
"Nationally, the number of people claiming unemployment benefit in May rose by 39,000 – far lower than the 60,000 forecast, which is very encouraging."
Kettering Council's Find Your Way Back to Work day was the second put on by the authority, which has brought together recruitment agencies and support organisations to help people out of work.
Council leader Jim Hakewill said: "We have been able to match jobs with people at a critical time for many families."
Dave Sweeney, 30, of Stamford Road, Kettering, was looking for labouring work, but had also decided to look at college courses at Tresham Institute.
He said: "I did not think there would be as many people as there are here."
Earlier this month QD Stores which is taking over the former Woolworths store in Wellingborough on June 30 saw 1,800 people apply for 25 positions.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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