SHEFFIELD LIB DEMS BATTLING CREDIT CRUNCH JOB LOSSES

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Jun 2009

The Liberal Democrat leadership on Sheffield City Council have agreed a huge £9,200,000 programme to help get local people back into work. The move comes as part of a concerted effort to help local people beat the credit crunch. The huge fund, agreed at the Council's Cabinet meeting this week, will pay for a four year programme that will support local jobseekers back into work and help employers to recruit local people.

Cllr Colin Ross, Liberal Democrat Cabinet member for Employment, Enterprise and Development, said "I know that everyone is worried about job losses as a result of the credit crunch at the moment. So it's important that the Council doesn't just stand by and do nothing. That's why Liberal Democrats on the Council have brought forward this huge programme to help the increasing amount of local people who have found themselves out of a job."

The £9.2m fund is made up of funding from the Council, Yorkshire Forward and some European monies. Lib Dems have ensured that the money is prioritised for this important work.

This move comes as the latest in a series of actions by the Liberal Democrat Council to help local people and business in the credit crunch. Lib Dems have invested in the city centre to bring vacant shops back into use, delivered the lowest ever council tax increase and saved small local businesses over £250,000 through encouraging them to take up rate relief.

Colin added: "This record of action shows that the local Liberal Democrats are serious about helping local residents and businesses through the credit crunch. However, we haven't finished here. Liberal Democrats are constantly looking at new ways in which the Council can help in the recession."