MAP snapshot Economy

Economy and business
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Economy snapshot 	Summary of data
Number of jobs 	6611 excluding 1643 self employed, 8254 in total
Change in number of jobs 	20 fewer JSA claimants from 2007 to 2008
Percentage employed by large employers (over 200 employees) 	
Jobs by industrial sector 	[Frame1]
Percentage employed in hotels and catering 	6%
Unemployment rate 	2.8%
Percentage unemployed over 6 months 	21.8%
Jobs to economically-active residents ratio 	70% - 30% commute out of the area
Professional e.g. public sector, medical, financial and legal services, employees as a percentage of	25.8%
Number of Job Centres 	0
Number of new businesses registered 	5
Members of Chambers of Trade/Commerce 	29 members of West Malling Town Chamber
Presence of a Business Link office 	Kent office at Kings Hill but not drop in centre
Presence of a one-stop-shop for business advice 	0
New industrial units built 	None in the town – growth of office buildings at Kings Hill
Average rent for industrial premises 	Relatively high – Kings Hill is prime location for HQ and Centralised offices of UK businesses
Rent for prime retail unit 	
Change in rents 	Rents rising with competition from restaurants and national chains
New shops built and/or converted in last three years 	0
Regular general market 	0
Regular farmers' market 	Monthly Farmers Market – in decline, calls for a weekly market instead
Number of comparison goods shops in the town 	0
Number of supermarkets over 1000sqm 	Asda in out of town location, Tesco Metro in the town itself
Number of other convenience goods shops in the town 	0
Number of vacant shops in the town in proportion to total number of shops 	0
Number of public toilets in town centre 	2 (Town centre and Station) with further toilets available at the Millyard centre and pubs/cafes
Residents with post-school qualifications 	17.3% with higher level qualifications
Number of primary schools 	10
Number of secondary schools 	3
Number and type of post-16 education (VI Form College, Technical College) 	7