Enfield Borough council has unveiled a new scheme to try to cut unemployment and bring more people into apprenticeships.

The ‘employment and skills strategy’ will tackle the unemployed and encourage local businesses to take on more apprentices.

Enfield Council leader, Councillor Doug Taylor, said: “Well trained, motivated and dedicated staff are the lifeblood of any organisation and this strategy aims to ensure that we create the right conditions to produce a high-class workforce to enable our businesses to deal with the challenges of the 21st Century.

“We need to match our residents’ skills to the needs of businesses in our borough so we can reduce unemployment, tackle deprivation and lift people out of poverty.”

Cabinet member for business and regeneration Councillor Del Goddard said: "There is tremendous potential to get our residents into work because of the enormous amount of regeneration work being done across Enfield.

“We need to make sure we use these project as an opportunity to get people into good quality permanent employment.”

The council hopes the garden Enfield project will create 1,200 jobs and the £1.5 billion Meridian Water development will create at least 3,000 jobs, both easing unemployment pressures in the borough.