Six people are chasing every job across Wolverhampton and Walsall.

New figures – which come ahead of the latest unemployment statistics this week – reveal there are 11,584 people claiming jobseekers’ allowance in Wolverhampton where there are just 1,843 job vacancies.

There was better news in Staffordshire, with just three people to every vacancy in Cannock Chase and Tamworth and two in both Stafford and Lichfield.  In Sandwell, there are five applicants for every job.

Ninder Johal, president of  the Sandwell chamber of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: “Clearly these figures for Wolverhampton and Walsall are not great.

Obviously with demand softening and the level of exports softening, it results in high unemployment which leads to a lack of demand.

“Despite this there are positive signs in the Black Country – Jaguar is moving to the i54 site in Wolverhampton and Tesco are moving to West Bromwich. “Marston’s is also creating up to 3,000 jobs.

“Having said all that, six people for every vacancy does not look good. I think we will see stagnation over the next 18 months and I think it will be tough for the area in the short-term.”

Michael Fabricant, Conservative MP for Lichfield, said he was pleased with the his constituency figures: “This is a reflection of the educational workforcein Lichfield and the skills they are able to offer businesses.”