These latest figures are adjusted for seasonal factors. Unadjusted, payrolled employment fell by 1,440 jobs.

This was broadly consistent with, but slightly higher than, changes in payrolled employment nationally in the same period, highlighting challenges with slowing recruitment activity leading to declining payrolled employment locally and nationally.

While some of this change may be explained by increasing self-employment, national trends in higher unemployment would suggest that the labour market has loosened significantly in the past year, with implications for growth.

Source: Earnings and employment from Pay As You Earn Real Time Information, seasonally adjusted, ONS