COUNCIL FAILURE ON JOBS EXPOSED

12.00.00am GMT Thu 3rd Dec 2009

Durham County Council has been criticised today by the Liberal Democrats for failing to take advantage of funding to help cut unemployment.

Despite the fact that unemployment has doubled in Durham in the last year, the Labour County Council has not applied for any funding which is available under the Future Jobs Fund.

This fund was introduced earlier in the year and aims to help create extra jobs. Neighbouring councils in Tyne and Wear, Hartlepool, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar have already applied for and received money to help in their area. Darlington Council has also received funding which will provide up to 57 new jobs. The Lib Dems in Durham are now asking why the same has not been done here.

Lib Dem County Councillor Carol Woods said:

"This scheme has not been used at all by Durham County Council and they do not seem to have been encouraging private firms to take advantage of it either.

"Unemployment in Durham has doubled in the last year and the Council seem to have done nothing to tackle the problem. This money is available and it is quite a shocking failure that they have done so little to ensure Durham gets its fair share.

"As well as failing to win funding themselves, the Council appear to have done nothing to publicise its availability to local firms either. Access to this help could make the difference between a firm surviving or going under.

"Why have the Council and our Labour MP not been working to secure funding for Durham?

"It is high time the council made helping our unemployed back to work a priority and used every source available to do that. I would like to see the council accessing these funds and helping people to get back to work as soon as possible."