Unemployment at record low

Unemployment rates in Cheshire East are at their best ever – with the number unemployed in Crewe more than halved and Congleton below 1 per cent for the first time.

Growth in small, medium and large businesses across the borough has contributed to the brightest employment picture for decades.

The official unemployment claimant rate in the borough is just 1.2 per cent – down from 2.1 per cent a year ago.

Figures for the Parliamentary constituencies are:

• Crewe and Nantwich 1.5 per cent
• Tatton 0.7 per cent
• Congleton 0.9 per cent
• Macclesfield 1.4 per cent.

The figure for the whole of the North West and the UK as a whole is higher at 2.2 per cent.

The percentage of 18 – 24 year olds not in education, employment or training and claiming Jobseeker's Allowance has fallen by 2.7 per cent on last year to just 2.2 per cent in October 2014.

The opening of the new Waters headquarters in Wilmslow has created 500 new jobs, while Bentley at Crewe have consistently recruited in large numbers over the past 12 months and small businesses around the borough have seen the need to recruit more employees.

Cheshire East now compares very favourably with Manchester and boasts the strongest economy in the region and more than 10% of the UK's leading 200 companies including Bentley Motoros, AstraZeneca, Waters Corporation, Siemens, Airbags International and Oliver Valves.

Councillor leader Michael Jones said: "Advanced engineering and scientific research and development are all key to our economic success. Production is the major contributor to our economic output and employment in manufacturing is well above the national average."

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