The Commons Touch
Published 17 Mar 2011 12:00
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THE latest local unemployment figures published last month made for very worrying reading.
In West Dunbartonshire, the number of people out of work and claiming Jobseekers Allowance rose from 3,481 to 3,810 on the previous month, representing the biggest monthly rise in the local jobless total for seven years.
But the last time unemployment rose by that much there were still almost 1,000 less people out of work.
Last spring, unemployment was falling in our area because the previous Labour Government had successfully fought to pull the UK out of recession, and delivered support to help get people back to work in the tough times.
Now we're seeing the impact of the Conservative-led Government's reckless approach to the economy. They are cutting faster and deeper than is safe, and it is costing local people their jobs.
ON a positive note for our local economy, after years of work by the Strathleven Regeneration Company, we are now starting to see businesses up and running at the Lomondgate site.
In recent months the new Premier Inn hotel and the Brewers Fayre restaurant have opened, creating 50 new jobs and injecting £6m into the local economy. With more businesses proposing to set up and plans ongoing to attract further investment, we should have real confidence that the development will go from strength to strength.
Seeing the ambitious plans succeed is absolutely vital to the future of Dumbarton and the surrounding area, and I will be working with all involved in the site to make those plans a reality.
This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 15 Mar 11
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