A fall in unemployment in Watford has been welcomed by the town’s Mayor.

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show the claimant count dropped by over 1,100 since February 2021.

The number of people receiving unemployment benefit reached a peak of 4,400 in February but has fallen every month since.

It now stands at 3,275.

The figures come following a range of initiatives introduced by Watford Borough Council throughout the pandemic prioritised to help businesses and jobs.

“We launched the UK’s first WhatsApp High Street, provided advice to numerous businesses during covid, paid over £6m to businesses and individuals in support grants, funded support for new and existing businesses to fund new websites and training and launched a high-profile ‘shop local’ campaign,” Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor said.

Mr Taylor added that it is “great to see” unemployment rates decreasing in Watford”.

He said: “We all know how important it is to make sure there are jobs for local people. The pandemic has been tough for so many businesses and I know that lots of people have been working flat-out just to keep their heads above water.

“Evidence shows we are already bouncing back and Watford is well on its way to being a thriving town once again. I’m determined to continue to work with local businesses so that we create more jobs and opportunities for everyone in Watford.”