New figures released from the House of Commons library have confirmed that the Winchester & Chandler's Ford constituency has just 0.7% of the economically active population claiming Job Seekers' Allowance, which means the constituency is the 9th lowest in the country. It's the first time Winchester has been inside the top ten.
The claimant count figures for February 2017 showed that the total number of local unemployed claimants was 315, a rank of 641st out of 650 constituencies. The 0.7% figure also compares against the equivalent UK claimant rate at 2.5%.
Winchester MP Steve Brine said: "The number of claimants is 55 lower than February 2016 and 5 lower than January 2017, and we have moved into the group of ten best-performing constituencies in the country, which is all very positive.
"Of course, we must not become complacent, and as I said recently at the local Chamber Business Breakfast, where I didn't pull any punches, we need to address the 'Winchester Challenge' and ensure the new leadership at the City Council drives through some its big projects so Winchester regains its reputation for competence and a place that attracts and retains high quality employers."
Pictured; Steve Brine addresses the Chamber Business Breakfast earlier this year
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See more about Steve's views on the 'Winchester Challenge' here