Oldham’s working

Dip in jobless toll adds weight to campaign
UNEMPLOYMENT in Oldham has dropped below 8,000 for the first time since December.

New figures show that the number of people out of work in the borough in April was 7,987 — a drop of 200 on the previous month.

In the week council leader Jim McMahon announced his Get Oldham Working campaign, the figures came as a huge boost.

The number of men out of work has fallen by 150 to 5,225 and the number of women has dropped by 50 to 2,762.

The figures set Oldham apart: nationally, unemployment increased during April by 15,000 to 2.52 million — the third quarterly increase in a row.