Unemployment in Breckland has risen in the past year despite recent statistics claiming production is on the up in UK companies.The latest Markit purchasing managers' index suggests that the East Anglian economy expanded for the six month in a row in October and at its fastest rate since July.
Unemployment in Breckland has risen in the past year despite recent statistics claiming production is on the up in UK companies.
The latest Markit purchasing managers' index suggests that the East Anglian economy expanded for the six month in a row in October and at its fastest rate since July.
However, unemployment figures published last week showed the effects of the recession are still being felt by the region's workforce.
In Breckland 1,023 more people were signing on in October 2009 than the same month last year.
Overall in Norfolk the figure is up 6,501 compared to the - from 11,147 to 17,648 last year.
Chris Starkie, chief executive of the economic partnership Shaping Norfolk's Future, said: 'The rise in unemployment is disappointing, but not a surprise given the continuing pressures faced by the economy.
'Much of the rise, particularly in Great Yarmouth and North Norfolk, can be attributed to seasonal working.'
Caroline Williams, chief executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, agreed that the figures offered some evidence that unemployment was levelling out. 'These figures demonstrate that employment trends are stabilising and if we compare Norfolk on a national level, we feature among the lowest claimant counts in the UK,' she said.
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