KENT has the highest number of new jobs in the South East, according to a trade union survey.

Although manufacturing jobs in the county have fallen since 1997, the number of jobs has actually gone up by 55,700 according to a just-published GMB union survey.

The South East was named as the area with the second-highest job sector growth in the UK behind the North West, with Kent leading the way.

The information is based upon figures compiled by the Office of National Statistics.

Of Kent’s 55,700 new jobs, 24 per cent are in business and financial services, 14 per cent are in the retail sector, seven per cent in the hotel and restaurant business, and 18 per cent in education.

The rest is split between health businesses, social services, construction, transport and public administration.

In the south east as a whole, 96,600 manufacturing jobs have been lost.

However the Kent job market is still booming - the county has created 5,000 more new jobs than Hampshire since 1997 and more than 15,000 more than Hertfordshire.

GMB acting general secretary, Paul Kenny, said the increases could be put down to the introduction of the national minumum wage, a drive to get parents back to work and new family friendly employment law.

However, Mr Kenny added that it was still imperitive that the national minimum wage was upped to shorten the gap between rich and poor.

The average national wage currently stands at £12.50 an hour.