UNEMPLOYMENT fell slightly in the St Albans district last month, bucking the national trend. The claimant count number went down from 1,707 in April to 1,696 in May but still represents just over two per cent of the local population. The number of male cl

UNEMPLOYMENT fell slightly in the St Albans district last month, bucking the national trend.

The claimant count number went down from 1,707 in April to 1,696 in May but still represents just over two per cent of the local population.

The number of male claimants was up to 1,240 from 1,228 in April and the number of female claimants was down to 456 from 479.

Unfilled vacancies are currently running at 442, a rise over the April figure but still a long way short of the 730 jobs available during the same month last year.