UNEMPLOYMENT could soon be virtually wiped out in Winsford, believes a town leader.
Speaking after Vale Royal Borough Council's planning committee approved a scheme to build two warehouses on Winsford Industrial Estate, Cllr Brian Clarke says he has high hopes for the town's growing jobs market.
Cllr Clarke, a member of Winsford Area Working Group, believes the buildings can attract another major employer to the town to take even more people off the unemployment list.
With Cheshire Constabulary working within the town to attract and train employees to staff its £40m headquarters, and Grampian Foods preparing to reopen the former Harris Bacon Factory to produce foodstuffs next year, the outlook is good for unemployed people in the area.
Cllr Clarke said: 'It's good news for Winsford - these warehouses are exactly the sort of buildings that industry wants at the moment.
'It has the potential to attract major employers to the town. At the moment no one is lined up to buy it as far as I am aware, but it is the sort of thing that could create hundreds of jobs if the right employer is brought in.
'Two new factories could create a lot of jobs, and that is on top of the new police headquarters and the work that has been going on at Grampian Foods.
'We are talking about steady jobs and that is what we want, jobs for life.'
He added: 'In the past many Winsford people have had to move from one temporary job to another and that is no good. The companies which are now starting to come to the town are looking for steady, permanent employees.
'It is in their interests and ours, because if people have jobs like that they feel much more loyalty to the firm and strive to be good workers.
'Things are looking very good on the jobs front and it could even reach the stage when we have more jobs than we have people - that is when we will get wages rising because employers want to keep the good employees.'
Residents looking for new employment opportunities have also been boosted by a cash sum set aside to help them into work.
The North West Development Agency has provided £250,000 to help people in Winsford get the skills they need to gain a job.
The cash will be used to provide training on interview techniques and writing CVs. Training can be accessed through Connexions, based in High Street, Winsford.
Cllr Clarke added: 'The more money we can keep in Winsford, the better. If local people get the jobs that are coming to the town, that has a knock-on effect for the economy.
'If people are in regular employment, their standards of living will improve and it will all help regenerate the town and boost the economy.'
