RENEWABLE energy jobs could help Hull ride out the economic crisis, it has been claimed.
However, city council leader Steve Brady said the prospect of energy firms bringing new investment and jobs to the region was the only bright spot on an otherwise gloomy horizon.
He spoke out after latest figures showed almost one in 12 people in Hull of working age were claiming unemployment benefits.
Youth unemployment in the city is also at a 17-year high.
He highlighted proposals by German manufacturing giant Siemens to open an £80 million factory assembling offshore wind turbines at Alexandra Dock as a positive, but also mentioned the potential 899 job losses at BAE Systems in Brough.
Councillor Brady said: “I do believe Hull has got great opportunities, particularly in the field of green energy.
“We look forward, hopefully soon, to a decision from Siemens about moving forward.
“By having an extra Enterprise Zone being allotted by the Government as a result of the terrible effects of the BAE decision, hopefully, there will also be other areas in Hull that will be able to benefit from the provision of that zone.”
He blamed “18 months of inactivity” by the Government for causing “severe problems” in the city.
And he warned the latest “depressing” job figures were just the tip of an iceberg.
He said: “The current proposals for the benefits system will see £80 million being stripped out of Hull’s economy over the next three years by the reductions in housing benefits and many other benefits.”
Economist Paul Swinney , of the Centre For Cities think tank, said the recession was hitting Hull hard.
He said: “Hull not only has the highest claimant count in Yorkshire, but out of all the cities we look at it also has the highest claimant count rate and has seen the largest increase since the start of the recession.
“The big issue for places like Hull is creating private sector jobs.
“We need policies in place that encourage businesses to create jobs.”
( thisishullandeastriding )
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Source: thisishullandeastriding, November 24, 2011; Image: siemens