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| Croft Ward Councillors Kath Nesbit &Margaret Richardson |
The recent news regarding the unemployment
rates for the North East of England with the area having the highest
unemployment rate in the UK. When this information is dug into, the same old
areas of disadvantage and deprivation have been hit hardest. Blyth in
Northumberland is one of those areas with a major unemployment jump in October
followed by many jobs lost particularly in the beauty and hospitality sector
with the announcement of the second national lockdown, steering Blyth into a
slump.
Currently the picture looks bleak for Blyth, as it has over the last few years developed itself as a destination for all things edible with a good number of restaurants serving world wide food and an excellent pub-grub reputation even before latest lockdown was announced this sector found that the fear of covid had reduced its turnover considerably with the trimming down of staff to suit the lower customer numbers taking place over an extended period. But the new lockdown has accelerated problems for local people who staff these premises and the Local Councillors for the Town are extremely concerned.
We spoke with Councillor Kath Nisbit of Croft Ward an area that is primarily made up of working family accommodation many of whom work in the industries affected by the current situation. She said “last year things appeared to be improving with the numbers of those in work rising across Croft Ward”.
“But figures appear to me to mask the problems joblessness pours onto families, it still takes far too long to resolve the claim issues of Universal Credit and I can see in the faces of many whose sons and daughters have lost their jobs and with their grandchildren suddenly locked into poverty how they are also struggling as they try their best to help them through this dark period in their lives.”
“I’m very unhappy that the Council’s adopted policies under the current Conservative administration doesn’t appear to help those in need. The debt level that launches letters starting the legal process is set at only £15 and the Council has thousands of families with attachments for payments from Benefits as well as lowering the amount of help they give those in need by 8% two years ago. The Tories policies are not only ruiness for families in need, the legacy of the debt they are being forced into is unbelievably damaging to our local economy as the payments are still ongoing when they eventually find work and such things as long lying on periods before pay is received is dragging back the incentive of taking some jobs”.
“But my biggest concern regarding the recent leap in unemployment in Blyth is the Chancellor's announcement in his spending review in that the restart program cash will only be issued when a claimant has been unemployed for a full year. I believe this is writing off people from East Coast ex industrial towns like Blyth and it should be made available as soon as a person's job disappears.”
