NORTH Yorkshire needs to attract more workers into the county because of difficulties in filling vacancies.

The authority's audit and corporate affairs scrutiny committee will be told by its head of human resources, Justine Brooksbank, that unemployment in the county is "extremely low", with only 5,500 out of work; in the county town of Northallerton there is no unemployment.

But she said attracting people from outside the county into jobs was hampered by the high cost of housing and transport.

"Young people tend to move out of North Yorkshire, depleting the area of the primary ongoing source of recruitment.

"They are also remaining in education for longer," she said."A much greater proportion of young people go to university - some 40pc compared with 5pc 20 years ago."

Ms Brooksbank said research showed a large number of young people planned to leave North Yorkshire for work, as they did not believe their career aspirations could be met locally.

But there was an increasing trend for them to live at home when at university as a result of student debt, and to seek work during the holidays.

The falling birth rate was aggravating the difficulties, and less than 20pc of the population was aged under 15.

North Yorkshire's vibrant tourist industry was absorbing labour supplies, while Catterick Garrison had been designated a "super garrison", and would double in size in the next five years, providing more competition for local labour.

"Many public sector employers, including the county council, are experiencing difficulties in attracting graduates into professional and specialist jobs as they increasingly move into more lucrative professions," said Ms Brooksbank.

"The skills we need from our staff are changing, as is the mix of skills. We need staff to be more flexible in terms of multi-skilling, the use of technology and the times they work. We need to move away from rigid roles and traditional professional groupings and structures".

Of the council's 22,000-strong workforce, only 4pc was 25 or under, with 47pc aged over 45.

She said work was being done to attract young people into jobs through work placements and work with schools, developing trainee posts and employment of students.

The committee, which meets on Monday, is being recommended to set up a task group to look at the issue of employing young people.