COUNCILLOR Lindsay Burr is right to say that Ryedale District Council should be doing more to help people who are struggling to find work (Gazette, p15, February 26). The fact that unemployment in Ryedale has risen, despite falling nationally, shows how out of touch we are with the rest of the country.

It is particularly depressing to read that so many benefit claimants here are under the age of 24.

However, I would point out that there are many over that age for whom apprenticeships are not appropriate either because of their age, such positions are not well paid enough for them to live on, or, like me, they already have the qualification they would be working towards in an apprenticeship.

I gained an NVQ while I was employed by the NHS, which is on my CV, which I send out every day to employers and agencies, yet I have been unsuccessful in securing permanent work for two-and-a-half years, though I have had temporary placements. When searching for vacancies, I always look for things in Malton before looking further afield, but even when I use my postcode as the search criteria, websites hardly ever find positions in the town.

Relocating may be tempting, but I can’t go anywhere without work that is generating enough money to pay for accommodation.

Peter Donnelly, Malton