THE Redditch job scene still seems buoyant after statistics released by Worcestershire County Council showed the unemployment rate was below the national average.

But there was a slight increase in those claiming benefit from 3.1 per cent to 3.2 per cent, or just 31 jobs, last month.

The long-term jobless rate in the town is showing a general decline, even though Redditch has more unemployed than anywhere else in the county.

Worcestershire as a whole has an unemployment rate of 2.4 per cent, which remained unchanged last month, and the West Midlands showed an unemployment rate of 3.9 per cent.

The national average is running at 3.4 per cent.

County council senior research officer David Onions said: The figures show that over a long period unemployment is falling in Redditch and they are quite low considering it's an urban area.