BARNSLEY'S economy is growing faster than anywhere else in South Yorkshire and faster than the rest of the country as a whole - if unemployment figures are used as the measure.
The latest monthly figures show the number of people claiming job seekers' allowance in Barnsley has fallen by 37 per cent in the 12 months to October.
Only 2.6 per cent of Barnsley's working age population is now on job seekers' allowance - this is lower than Sheffiled (3 per cent) Doncaster (3.2 per cent) Rotherham (3.3 per cent) and the Yorkshire and Humber average of 2.8 per cent.
Nigel Coleman of the Department for Work and Pensions said: "When you look at Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham, Barnsley is doing extremely well.
"We've got 2,305 people in Barnsley who were claiming job seekers' allowance a year ago who are not now, and that's fantastic.
"It isn't all simply a case of part time jobs and zero hours contacts. Those jobs do have their place, but looking at the figures across the country there are 360,000 more people in full time permanent work, and that is making up to 80 per cent of the growth in employees."
He said Barnsley had seen lots of inward investment and many local businesses had taken on staff in the last 12 months.
Leader of the council Sir Steve Houghton said: "As a council we've spent a lot of time and effort working one, to bring businesses in, and two, to make sure that when they do it's Barnsley people that get the jobs, and it's great to see some of that starting to bear fruit."
