UNEMPLOYMENT in Selby has dropped by more than 15 per cent in the last year, official figures reveal today.

Christmas recruitment and an expanding enterprise park have provided a massive job boost to the Selby economy.

The figure for those out of work has fallen from 920 to 771 in the last year, with 113 more men and 36 more women in employment.

The news was greeted with a mixture of joy and caution by Selby MP John Grogan.

"This is a very good thing for the Selby economy," he told the Evening Press today.

"The expansion of the Sherburn Enterprise park has partly contributed to this and it is good news all round.

"However, we mustn't be too optimistic. Over the coming years there will be a number of job losses in the agriculture industry, and more expansion will be needed to keep the figures down.

"I am not being negative, but we need to be realistic about future employment possibilities given the current economic climate."

Joan Newton, manager of the JobCentre in Selby, greeted the figures favourably.

"We are very pleased that the figures have fallen once more," she said.

"We are happy that our work is having an impact. Christmas recuitment by Argos, Hazlewoods and a number of other companies in the area has given a massive job boost to Selby.

"This is always a good time of year for job seekers and things seems to be going well in this area at the moment."

She added that a successful New Deal scheme was also a contributory factor with Government funding helping those on benefits make the transition to full employment.

Unemployment has risen slightly in Ryedale and fallen in York over the last year.

Nationwide, unemployment continued to fall last month, despite the impact of recession in the manufacturing sector, falling by 4,900 last month to 942,100.

Updated: 14:33 Wednesday, October 17, 2001