North East unemployment rate drops
The latest unemployment figures show a drop in the number of people out of work in the North East.
500 jobs could go at Teesside call centre
500 jobs could go under plans to close a customer services site in Stockton-on-Tees.
Ashington employment fears
A North East development agency says it fears for the future of a Northumberland town after yesterday's Rio TInto Alcan redundancies.
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500 call centre jobs to go on Teesside
A Teesside call centre is to close with the loss of 500 jobs. The Direct Line Group has started consultations with staff over plans to axe a total of 900 jobs across the country. It will mean the closure of the centre in Stockton.
The group, which owns the Churchill and Green Flag brands and employs around 15 thousand staff in total is planning the redundancies as part of a £100 million cost-saving programme.
North East unemployment falls
The number of jobless people across the North East has fallen by 4,000 in the last three months.
The drop was welcomed by the Employment Minister, Chris Grayling, who said he hoped it was the beginning of more positive news for the region.
Unemployment levels are still the highest in the country at 10.9%.
This is above the UK average which is at 8.1%.
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Employment Minister: "The North East is a priority"
Ashington employment fears
by Phil Roscoe
A North East development agency says it fears for the future of a Northumberland town after yesterday's Rio TInto Alcan redundancies.
Read the full storyLast shift for Alcan workers
Half of the workers at the Alcan aluminium smelter in Northumberland working their last shifts today as the plant prepares to shut down after 40 years of operating.
Owner Rio Tinto announced plans to close the plant near Lynemouth last November.
Jobs created in Gateshead
60 new jobs could be created in Gateshead after the Council gave the go ahead for a new cinema to be built.
It will be the latest addition to the town centre's £150m Trinity Square development. The Vue cinema is expected to be completed by late 2013.
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Port criticised over cruise ship proposals
A decision to allow Liverpool to operate turnaround cruises has been criticised as unfair.
The city council was given a £20 million UK and EU grant for its new terminal at Pier Head in 2007. But strict rules mean't it could only run as a stop-off point, as it had been funded using taxpayer cash.
However, the Department for Transport has said Liverpool can now use the terminal for the start and end of voyages if it repays £8.8 million as a lump sum, or £12.6 million over 15 years.
The move has received widespread opposition from ports, including the Port of Tyne, who argue that it have a detrimental effect on business as holidaymakers head to the North West instead.
North East MEP Martin Callanan said Liverpool should be forced to repay EU money in full before continuing with its plans.
Liverpool City Council says it is still deciding on a repayment option.
North East unemployment rises
Despite a national fall in unemployment, there was disappointing news across the North East where the number without work rose by 6,000.
Read the full storyNorth East unemployment rises
Despite a national fall in unemployment, there was disappointing news across the North East where the number without work rose by 6,000.
At 11.5%, the local jobless figure is well above the national average which has fallen to 8.2%.
The Employment Minister, Chris Grayling, said the figures were particularly disappointing as they followed three months of falling unemployment in the region.
Development decision deferred
A decision over a 300 million pound development, which could create thousands of construction jobs, has been deferrred by councillors for further discussions to take place.
Developers want to build hundreds of homes at Allens West, the former Ministry of Defence land at Eaglescliffe. But people living nearby and those working there are objecting to the size of the project.
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