Scottish Borders Council Economic Development Quarterly Bulletin, June 2014 Claimant Count May 2014 Latest month Previous month Previous year Monthly change Annual change Scottish Borders 1,530 1,645 2,025-7.0% -24.4% Scotland total 100,815 105,120 134,105-4.1% -24.8% SB - % working age popn. 2.2% 2.4% 2.9% -0.2% -0.7% Scotland - % working age popn. 2.9% 3.0% 3.9% -0.1% -1.0% SB claiming age 18-24 455 480 590-5.2% -22.9% Scotland claiming age 18-24 24,455 25,755 34,745-5.0% -29.6% SB claiming for < 6 months 815 910 1,085-10.4% -24.9% Scotland claiming for < 6 months 54,350 58,150 70,185-6.5% -22.6% SB claiming for 6-12 months 270 275 405-1.8% -33.3% Scotland claiming for 6-12 months 16,995 16,700 25,825 1.8% -34.2% SB claiming for >12 months 445 460 530-3.3% -16.0% Scotland claiming for >12 months 29,470 30,270 38,090-2.6% -22.6% Based on jobseeker's allowance claimants Percentage of working age population claiming jobseeker s allowance 3 years 5.0% 4.5% 4.0% Percentage 3.5% 3.0% 2.9% 2.5% 2.2% 2.0% Jun-11 Sep-11 Dec-11 Mar-12 Jun-12 Sep-12 Dec-12 Mar-13 Jun-13 Sep-13 Dec-13 Mar-14 Month Scottish Borders Scotland 1
Number of residents claiming jobseeker s allowance by old ward, May 2014 JSA Claimants (May 2014) Number Rate (%) Number Rate (%) Silverbuthall 84 5.1 Kelso and District South 36 1.9 Upper Langlee and Ladhope 97 4.9 Jedburgh and District West 34 1.9 Lower Langlee and Tweedbank 96 4.8 Old Selkirk 38 1.8 Burnfoot and Mansfield 80 4.1 Chirnside and District 36 1.8 Mossilee and Central 76 4.1 Hermitage 28 1.8 Kelso Central 66 3.9 Jedburgh and District East 34 1.7 Kilnknowe and Clovenfords 75 3.7 Coldstream and District 32 1.7 Forest 72 3.0 Duns and District North 32 1.7 Scott's View 52 2.7 Kelso and District North 35 1.6 Eyemouth and District South 46 2.7 Earlston, Gordon and District 29 1.4 Teviot and Central 48 2.6 Peebles and District South 26 1.2 Netherdale 47 2.6 Duns and District South 22 1.2 Peebles and District East 53 2.4 Eyemouth and District North 22 1.1 Innerleithen and Walkerburn 46 2.2 Peebles and Upper Tweed 22 1.1 Wilton 39 2.2 Melrose and District 19 1.1 Scottish Borders 1,531 2.2 Alewater and Denholm 17 0.9 Weensland 37 1.9 West Linton and District 12 0.5 Galawater and Lauderdale 43 1.9 Number of residents claiming jobseeker s allowance by multi-member ward, May 2014 JSA Claimants (May 2014) Number Rate (%) Number Rate (%) Galashiels and District 371 4.0 Jedburgh and District 85 1.8 Hawick and Denholm 179 3.0 East Berwickshire 115 1.7 Hawick and Hermitage 148 2.7 Leaderdale and Melrose 94 1.5 Selkirkshire 150 2.4 Tweeddale West 84 1.4 Kelso and District 137 2.2 Mid Berwickshire 80 1.4 Scottish Borders 1,531 2.2 Tweeddale East 88 1.3 NOTE: Local area figures in the Scottish Borders are not entirely consistent with the headline claimant count used in the previous table and graph. This explains the slight discrepancy in the overall figure for the Scottish Borders. Commentary Unemployment in the Scottish Borders fell between April and May by 7 per cent and in Scotland by 4.1 per cent. Since May 2013, there has been a decrease in unemployment in the Scottish Borders of 24.4 per cent. The corresponding figure for Scotland shows a 24.8 per cent decrease. Unemployment among 18-24 year olds in the Scottish Borders is 22.9 per cent down on this time last year. The latest month-on-month figure shows a decrease of 5.2 per cent. The proportion of those unemployed for over 12 months in the Scottish Borders has declined by 16 per cent on May 2013 with a 3.3 per cent decrease between April and May 2014. 2
ILO-based unemployment estimate The headline jobseeker s allowance rate provides an indication of the latest trends at local and national level as the economic recovery continues. However, it does not present the full story of unemployment. The Government s preferred measure of unemployment defined by the International Labor Organisation (ILO) does not provide the up-to-date local area estimates that are provided by the jobseeker s allowance rate. However, an estimate for local authority areas is published based on a rolling annual sample survey. Using this measure, the latest figure for the Scottish Borders is for the period January to December 2013. During this period, an estimated 3,000 people, or 5.2 per cent of working age adults, were unemployed in the Scottish Borders. During the same period, the Scottish rate was 7.7 per cent and the rate for Great Britain was 7.5 per cent. In the past decade, unemployment peaked in the Scottish Borders at 6.2 per cent in 2010 and in Scotland at 8.1 per cent in 2011. ILO based unemployment estimate, 2004-2013 9% 8% 7.7% 7% 6% 5% 5.2% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Scotland Scottish Borders 3
Employment rates The latest figures show that the number of people employed in the Scottish Borders increased in 2013 to 54,100. The employment rate in the Scottish Borders is higher than those of Scotland and Great Britain. July 2012 June 2013 Oct 2012 Sept 2013 January 2013- December 2013 Scottish Borders 53,900 53,700 54,100 % SB population 74.4% 74.4% 74.9% Scotland % 70.6% 70.7% 71.0% Great Britain % 71.1% 71.2% 71.5% UK Gross Domestic Product figures GDP figures 2012-14 1.0% 0.8% 0.6% 0.4% 0.2% 0.0% -0.2% -0.4% -0.6% Q2 2012 Q3 2012 Q4 2012 Q1 2013 Q2 2013 Q3 2013 Q4 2013 Q1 2014 Output in the UK economy, as measured by change in gross domestic product, rose in the first quarter of 2014 by 0.8 per cent compared with the previous quarter. Business Confidence (Scotland) Latest Q1 2014 Up % Level % Down % Net % Manufacturing - Business Optimism 29.2 59.4 11.1 18.1 Manufacturing Actual Employment 31.2 58.7 10.1 21.1 4
Construction - Business Optimism 34.5 51.7 13.8 20.7 Construction Actual Employment 24.1 58.6 13.8 10.3 Retail - Business Optimism 21.8 50.9 27.3-5.5 Retail Actual Employment 9.6 80.8 9.6 0.0 Tourism - Business Optimism 37.9 51.7 10.3 27.6 Tourism Employment 14.8 63.0 22.2-7.4 Source: Scottish Chambers Business Survey EXAMPLE: Business Optimism in manufacturing, 29.2 per cent of respondents note an increase, 59.4 per cent no change, and 11.1 per cent a reduction, a net positive perception of +18.1 per cent. House prices As the largest component of most households wealth, housing is a major influence on the economy. In the first quarter of 2014, the average house price in the Scottish Borders was 159,143, an increase of 7.5 per cent on the corresponding period in 2013, but a decrease of 4.9 per cent on the last quarter of 2013. Among its neighbouring local authorities, average house prices in the Scottish Borders are now higher than those in Midlothian and Dumfries and Galloway. Average house prices across the Scottish Borders and neighbouring local authorities, 2013-2014 240,000 220,000 214,736 200,000 194,584 Price ( ) 180,000 160,000 159,143 157,690 140,000 120,000 122,472 100,000 Q1 2013 Q2 2013 Q3 2013 Q4 2013 Q1 2014 Edinburgh, City of East Lothian Scottish Borders Midlothian Dumfries and Galloway Source: Registers of Scotland 5
Local News and Notices The Scottish Borders Business Excellence Awards took place at a lunch at Borders College Campus, Galashiels on Friday 25 April. Over 80 guests attended the event, and the winners in each category were: Rural Business of the year award: Real Wood Studios Ltd, Ancrum Technology/Innovation business of the year award: Topling Ltd, Duns Marketing campaign of the year award: Scott & Charters Ltd, Hawick Tourism business of the year award: Bowhill House & Country Estate, Selkirk Environmental business of the year: Topling Ltd, Duns Employer of the year: Stark Main & Co. Ltd, Selkirk Retail/Town centre business of the year award: Scotlight Commercial Lighting Ltd, Innerleithen Further information is available at: http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/info/245/grants_and_awards_for_business/1014/scotti sh_borders_business_excellence_awards Scottish Borders Council can offer assistance to local companies wishing to tender for contracts arising from public procurement projects. For further details, register on the Supplier Development Programme at www.sdpscotland.co.uk or for more information, contact SBC Economic Development. Scottish Borders Council has a wide range of commercial, industrial and office properties available. If you are looking for a property for your business please contact Katie Greenwood. 01835 826528 or kgreenwood@scotborders.gov.uk If you are thinking about growing a business project, and would like to discuss the support available to you, please contact the Business Gateway adviser team directly on 01835 825600 or at info@bgborders.com Enquiries Phone: 01835 826505 Email: business@scotborders.gov.uk Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/ourscotborders 6