112 Olympic jobs for local unemployed people is a disgrace

12.45.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st Oct 2009

The low level of jobs for locally unemployed people was highlighted at City Hall today by Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Olympics spokesperson.

Questioning the Chief Executive and the Chairman of the Olympics Delivery Authority (ODA) Dee Doocey pressed for significant improvements in the record of unemployed people being offered training and work on the Olympic Park. At present just 112 of the 4,5000 working on the park are people from neighbouring boroughs, who were previously unemployed. In addition there are just 69 apprenticeships on the park.

Commenting Dee said:

"There are 46,000 unemployed people in the boroughs surrounding the park and sadly that figure is continuing to rise. It is therefore scandalous that with 4,500 jobs created in the park a pitiful 112 have gone to unemployed people who live locally.

"The ODA cannot hide behind national comparisons with other building sites. The 2012 Games had a specific task to provide a legacy, which must include new work and training opportunities for unemployed Londoners who live near to the park. It is time the ODA rose to the challenge and delivered a real employment legacy from the Olympics."