Kent's wage picture has been revealed - and it makes grim reading.

People working in Thanet are lagging nearly £7,000 behind the UK’s national average salary, while Maidstone sits more than £4,000 off the pace.

The latest Office for National Statistics data puts the average salary for jobs in the two towns at just £20,655 and £23,071 respectively, while the national figure is £27,195.

The figures come as Maidstone Borough Council’s draft Economic Development Strategy is opened for public consultation.

The report, which aims to chart the course of the town’s economy over the next 17 years, was published online on Monday and will go before the cabinet for approval on February 11.

For those working in neighbouring Tonbridge and Malling the picture is significantly better, with people more than £100 a week better off.

The strategy shows people are increasingly looking outside the area for work, with more people now commuting out of Maidstone than into it.

The MBC report, which uses figures from 12 months ago as the latest statistics were not available at the time it was prepared, says: “Maidstone as a place for work for its residents has become less important over the last decade, moving from being a slight net importer of labour to a net exporter.

“The 2011 Census shows that some 1,240 more people were leaving the borough for work than coming in.”

Cabinet member for economic and commercial development Malcolm Greer said: “Maidstone is the largest economy in Kent, worth £3.3bn a year.

“Maidstone is the largest economy in Kent but is dominated by the public sector which has seen considerable job losses in the last few years." — Malcolm Greer

“However, it is dominated by the public sector which has seen considerable job losses in the last few years and will continue to decline in prominence over the next four years.

“The strategy clearly sets out the need to increase private sector jobs to replace those lost in the public sector.

“Delivering a new vision for the town centre, Maidstone Medical Campus and allocating new employment sites are just some of the actions proposed.”

In 2012 Maidstone’s economy ranked as the largest in Kent, with second placed Canterbury worth almost £500m a year less.

The strategy will be reviewed every five years unless there is a radical change of circumstances.

To view the report and comment on proposals visit www.maidstone.gov.uk/consultations.

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