I was really encouraged to see the economy grew 0.3% in January, surpassing expectations and avoiding recession which some said was inevitable.
Locally, employment remains high with only 2.6% of people in Bosworth aged 16-64 claiming unemployment benefits (the national average is 3.7%).
I recently welcomed the news that our area is a net zero economy hotspot - which means over 9,000 people are employed in 'net zero' jobs where the average wage is £42,600, compared to the national average of £33,400! It is the likes of apprenticeships – of which over 10,950 have been created in Bosworth since 2010 – that open the door to this highly paid area, not only for our younger generations but anyone looking for an exciting career change too.
There’s still a lot of work to be done but I'm pleased to see these green shoots... a sign that things are improving. Looking forward to seeing what the Chancellor will announce in tomorrow’s Spring Budget to help halve inflation, grow the economy and reduce debt (three of the Prime Minister’s top priorities announced at the start of the year).