"GRIM READING."

That was Councillor Stuart Marshall's stark assessment of the latest Hawick unemployment figures, which will also confirm many Teries' worst fears as the town continues to feel the full force of the economic downturn.

With the number of those out of work rocketing by 134 per cent last month (compared to June 2008), the frustration felt by many continues to bubble away under the surface . . . for now. It's been more than a year since Pringle pulled the plug on manufacturing at the Glebe, but still we've yet to see any real progress in attracting new employment and development to Hawick. And since then the jobs axe has fallen at Hawick Knitwear, Johnstons, Barrie, Emtelle and Slumberdown. The alarm bells continue to ring, but they seem to be falling on deaf ears.

Okay, should Sainsbury's get the green light for its Commercial Road store, which it looks like it will, that will be a real shot in the arm for the town. And will hopefully be the catalyst for more jobs/development.

But this optimism was somewhat tempered this week with Scottish Borders Council's infuriating attempt to 'dress up' the jobless figures. "Unemployment [in Hawick] is slightly below the Scottish average," we're told. And the number of folk claiming Jobseekers Allowance has, according to SBC, been falling in the Borders compared to increases at Scottish level. If there's a crumb of comfort to be taken from the previous two statements, I've clearly missed it.

Hawick needs, and deserves, better.


I'M on holiday next week and my next blog will be uploaded on August 14.