Enterprise can ease jobless figures further, says Chamber

BUSINESS  leaders in the West Midlands are calling on the Government to ease employment regulations and to create conditions to enable businesses to feel confident about employing people. 

As the latest unemployment figures show a slight fall of 1,000 to 236,000 in the West Midlands, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce’s president also raised a rallying cry for those struggling to find work to think about self- employment.

And Steve Brittan called for Birmingham business people to continue to help the city keep its reputation for enterprise and creativity.

He said: “At a time when businesses are cautious about recruitment and have a large pool of unemployed people to pick from, those struggling to find jobs should consider setting up in business themselves. 

“We need to continue to keep the city’s reputation for manufacturing, for making things which will help grow the local economy and create jobs for local people.

“We have a proud heritage of enterprise in this city. Small businesses are a big part of the answer to the city’s economic future.”

Mike Ashton, spokesman for West Midlands Chambers of Commerce, said: “Our members are telling us they are cautious about investing, which will create more jobs and are tightening belts trying to get through, without over-stretching their businesses.” 

Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “In Coventry, the figure jumped above 10,000 earlier in the year so to see it getting closer to the 9,000 mark is encouraging.

“In Warwickshire, again, the figure is falling and we hope to see this trend continuing into the New Year.

“When you consider the depth and the length of the recession, many would have expected overall unemployment to have risen further. Having said that, the numbers are still much higher than anyone would like and behind each statistic is a real person.

“Private sector employment is rising and that needs to continue because the Chancellor made it clear in his recent Autumn Statement that he is not going to loosen the purse strings when it comes to his deficit reduction plan.

“In order for companies to continue to employ people, the Government must remain committed to its plan to cut red tape on firms when they take on staff and must look at ways to incentivise job creation.”