Data recently released from the Office for National Statistics reveals that the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance in Chesterfield in July was 1,225 – down 20 from last months figure of 1,275 and the lowest figure recorded since February 2017.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of people in work nationally is at the highest level since records began in 1971.

The record figures have been driven by increases in the number of people in secure work – over 75% of the increase in employment over the past seven years has been in full-time work – according to the Department for Work and Pensions.

There are now 338,000 more people in work compared to this time last year, the Government said, with much of the increase attributed to “workers recruited to higher-skilled positions”.

Whilst the figure in Chesterfield is the lowest it has been for a number of months, it is still 100 claimants higher than the figure recorded for the same month the previous year. This mirrors the reversal of fortune for the East Midlands region that has seen a decline of employment.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said:-

“Local figures would seem to suggest that inflationary pressures, which had not previously significantly manifested themselves, are now beginning to be felt in the East Midlands.

“This morning’s figures have not come as any great surprise but they do suggest that more needs to be done to aid job creation in the East Midlands, to encourage the creation of sustainable businesses and to help regional employers manage inflationary pressures.”

A Government paper outlining future customs arrangements with the EU has been given a cautious welcome by the biggest business-representation organisation in the Midlands.

East Midlands Chamber, the second-largest Chamber of Commerce in the country, said the plan offered greater clarity of Government intentions for the region’s exporters.

But it warned that the Government’ stance on future membership of the EU customs union did not mean the terms would be accepted by the other 27 members of the EU.

Countries inside the customs union don’t impose tariffs – taxes on imports – on each other’s goods and every country inside the union levies the same tariffs on imports from abroad.

Publishing the paper setting out proposals for a future customs relationship with the EU, David Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, said the approach would “avoid a cliff-edge for businesses and individuals on both sides”.

He said:-

“The way we approach the movement of goods across our border will be a critical building block for our independent trade policy. An interim period would mean businesses only need to adjust once to the new regime and would allow for a smooth and orderly transition.

“The UK is the EU’s biggest trading partner so it is in the interest of both sides that we reach an agreement on our future relationship. The UK starts from a strong position and we are confident we can deliver a result that is good for business here in the UK and across the EU.”

Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:-

“Our proposals are ambitious, and rightly so. They set out arrangements that would allow UK businesses to continue to trade with their European partners in the future, while expanding their markets beyond the EU.”

Laura Howard, the Chamber’s Head of International Trade, said:-

“With the caveat that this is a negotiating position and therefore subject to agreement, I know that Chamber members will welcome attempts to retain frictionless trade between the UK and the EU that reduces bureaucracy and costs. Today’s announcement offers greater confidence for businesses trading with the EU.”

The Chamber processes export documentation for goods being sent to over 140 countries worldwide. In the six months to the end of June this year, the Chamber’s international team processed documents for £218,296,122 worth of commercial goods being shipped outside the EU. It also provides training to help businesses understand procedures, thereby saving time and money when trading with the EU.

Figures released today show that in its first year the Growth Hub team at Sheffield City Region smashed its own targets for business support many times over.

By the end of April this year the Growth Hub – the region’s central point for all business support – and its spokes of specialist advisors had worked with 4122 businesses. The target was 500.

And the region’s businesses are pleased: the feedback is that they are getting ‘excellent’ support and the Growth Hub has been awarded a satisfaction rating of 89% across the three different levels of help – light, medium and high.

The bulk of inquiries over the year have been about help to grow businesses and finance, while help with skills training, starting a new business, and innovation were roughly equally in demand.

David Grimes, Head of the Growth Hub, said:-

“This is a very pleasing set of figures. The Growth Hub and its partners have been working extremely hard to help create growth and jobs across the region, and I am delighted that so many people have taken advantage of our services.

“This demonstrates that there is a huge appetite for businesses to grow and create jobs and prosperity across the region.

“Enterprise has always been at the heart of what we do in this region. It’s a tribute to the hard work ethos here which is helping to attract, retain and develop skills in the region which are so important for sustainable growth.”