Country workers are more at risk
WORKERS in rural areas are more in jeopardy of losing jobs due to the coronavirus, a report has found.
It predicts almost six million people are working in at-risk jobs.
And 46 per cent of the country’s entire furloughed workforce reside in county areas said the report for 39 of the biggest English authorities.
The County Councils Network (CCN), fears many furloughed workers will not have jobs once the scheme ends in October.
It wants the Government to provide councils with devolved powers to save posts, particularly over transport and skills that metro mayors have.
Based on the latest statistics to the end of June, Cornwall has the highest proportion of its workforce on furlough (35.1 per cent), with Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Cumbria, Dorset and Devon all also having close to one-third of their workforce on the Government’s scheme.
CCN chief Cllr David Williams said: “The research illustrates how exposed county areas are with over half of those workforces in at-risk sectors.
“We fear a significant number of those furloughed will not have employment to go back to unless we act now.
“County authorities must be a central part of the economic growth jigsaw.
“Each area will have differing needs, and we know our residents and businesses well.
“Restructuring councils with devolved powers to become new and ambitious unitary authorities will allow us to provide hope to our communities.”