Claims for unemployment benefits nearly doubled in Sutton over the past year as the recession took a devastating toll on local workers.
An extra 1,600 residents applied for jobseeker’s allowance in March, the fifth highest jump recorded in 33 London boroughs.
Sutton Conservatives said the figures only gave a snapshot of suffering because they failed to reflect the experiences of the self-employed.
The local authority accepted families had been hit hard but said only 2.8 per cent of residents were jobless, one of the lowest rates in London.
Councillor Tim Crowley, the Tory opposition spokesman for finance and value for money, said: “These are worrying figures for Sutton. They show that we’re feeling the pinch of the recession more than most other areas in Greater London.
“We acknowledge that the Lib Dem-run council has its well-intentioned action plan on the recession but we think that it could be doing a whole lot more to help ease the burden. For example, the controversial £8.5m Sutton Life Centre is a high spend which sends out the wrong message to hard-pressed residents.”
Since the autumn, the council has devised a 10-point economic recovery plan and introduced an apprenticeship scheme to help 200 young people into work.
Sean Brennan, the council leader, said: “We know times are tough and many of our residents are feeling the pinch but Sutton has, in fact, been fairly resilient to the recession.
“The borough has seen the eighth lowest increase in the number of unemployed people but, as we have had high employment for many years, this is a big increase in percentage terms.
“We are experiencing the deepest recession for a generation, and helping local families and businesses through it has been our top priority.
“We are running seminars for out-of-work professionals, to help them back into jobs or training. Local businesses are getting help to bid for public sector contracts, such as the imminent regeneration of Sutton town centre.”
Coun Brennan added: “Cutting back on major projects like the Sutton Life Centre is not the answer. This is set to be a hugely valuable resource to people of all ages and has won a £4m grant from the Government.”
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