COMMUNITY leaders in a Tees Valley town have welcomed a big drop in youth unemployment.

Figures for May show that the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who are unemployed in Hartlepool has fallen below 10 per cent for the first time in six years.

The latest reduction means the youth unemployment rate has fallen by 7.3 per cent since September 2012 but shows that about 800 young people are still unemployed.

Hartlepool still has the worst percentage rate of youth unemployment on Teesside.

In Middlesbrough the figure stands at 7.8 per cent, or 1,285 people, in Stockton it is 8 per cent, or 1,425 and in Redcar, 9 per cent or 1,025 people.

The national average for 18 to 14-year-olds actually claiming unemployment benefit is just 4.3 per cent. However the overall national youth unemployment rate, which does not just include those actually claiming Job Seekers Allowance, is 16.2 per cent.

In Hartlepool the drop has been put down to the launch of the Hartlepool Youth Investment Project (HYIP) in 2012. The project has brought together all of Hartlepool Council’s youth employment initiatives and those of partners including schools, colleges, Jobcentre Plus and the National Apprenticeship Service with key employers such as Camerons and C&A Pumps and Engineering.

Cllr Christopher Akers-Belcher, leader of Hartlepool Council, said: “It is a tremendous achievement that youth unemployment is falling at such a fast rate given the economic challenges of the last few years.

“The HYIP has played a crucial role in improving the skills and employability of hundreds of young people and I would like to congratulate everyone involved for playing their part in what is an outstanding success story.

“However, it is important to remember that 800 young people remain unemployed in the town.

“Hartlepool council is not complacent, and recognises that more work still needs to be done. We are committed to bringing down youth unemployment even further by building on the close and effective links that we have forged with our partners.”

Cllr Robbie Payne, Chair of Hartlepool Council’s Regeneration Services Committee, said the Hartlepool Vision scheme, which aims to revitalise eight key sites in the town, could reduce unemployment further in the coming years.

He said: “This is great news and adds to the optimism that Hartlepool as a town is on the up. But it is important to recognise that further work is required to bring down youth unemployment still further.”

The unemployment statistics have been collated by Hartlepool Borough Council using various Government sources, including the Office of National Statistics, the Department for Work and Pensions and JobCentre Plus.