UNEMPLOYMENT in the county has fallen by more than 1,000 in the past two months.

A steep drop of 685 in June was followed by a further reduction of 353 in July, giving a two-month total of 1,038.

The number of people out of work and claiming benefit in Kent and Medway was 17,420 in June and 17,067 in July.

There was a two-month dip of 64 in Medway. Tonbridge and Malling was the only Kent district to post a net rise (34) over the two months.

In June and July, there was good news for East Kent as seasonal work picked up, leading to combined three-digit falls in Dover (down 141), Shepway (down 114), and Thanet (down 198).

Nationally, the claimant count fell 13,700 in July to 835,200. By the Government's preferred measure, unemployment edged up by 27,000 to 1.44m (4.8 per cent) in the three months to June.

That total comprised 843,000 men, 597,000 women. Some 402,000 were aged 18 - 24. The number of job vacancies rose by 74,100 to 658,000 in the same period.

 Jobless figures as recorded on July 8:

Kent and Medway, 17,067 (down 353); Medway, 3,619 (up six); Rest of Kent, 13,448 (down 359); Ashford, 729 (down 17); Cantrebury, 1,211 (down 40); Dartford, 947 (down 39); Dover, 1,222 (down 68); Gravesham, 1,361 (down 25); Maidstone, 1,079 (down 27); Sevenoaks, 616 (down eight); Shepway. 1,250 (down 57); Swale, 1,381 (down 18); Thanet, 2,250 (down 108); Tonbridge and Malling, 747 (up 46); Tunbridge Wells, 655 (up two).