AN AREA of Torbay has been identified as one of 600 youth unemployment 'hotspots'.

Tormohun ward, covering much of Torquay town centre, has one in eight of 16 to 24 year olds on the dole (13.5 per cent) — roughly double the national average.

The findings are by a commission headed by former Labour leadership contender David Miliband.

The commission estimates this translates into a NEET rate (Not in Employment, Education or Training) of at least one in four.

Mr Miliband highlighted the figures as he warned youth unemployment had reached an 'emergency'.

Cllr Jenny Faulkner, ward councillor said that the figures were 'shocking'.

She said: "I have lived here for 20 years and it always has been a bad ward for unemployment.

"We need to be doing more to help our young people into training, but there is a confidence issue. That is the barrier to going for training or to college.

"It is an area that has traditionally been talked down. These young people go for an interview and they say they are from Tormohun and the interviewer says: 'Oh, I see.'"

The number of people looking for help in finding work or training through Hele's Angels has risen by 157 per cent this year.

Chris Forster, neighbourhood manager, said numbers had jumped from 114 in January 2011 to 300 this January.

He said: "A large proportion of those are aged from 15 to 25.

He said the Bay has to provide real opportunities of work, but some young people are so poor they cannot afford the bus fare to get to work or college on the other side of Paignton.

"I think the apprenticeships are a good start because they provide a real chance of training and paid work but we need to do more, perhaps subsidies for bus fares or a lunch voucher to support people into work or training."

The commission calculates the problem threatens to cost the Treasury £28billion.

The report said: "The human misery of youth unemployment is also a time-bomb under the nation's finances."

The Commission on Youth Unemployment urged the Government to do more to help young people find work, including a part-time job guarantee for those on the Work Programme for a year.

The report also called for a new national programme to work with teenagers, as well as a mentoring scheme for young people.

It also called for a deal to be hammered out giving youngsters access to cheaper transport on condition that they are in education, work or job hunting.

Ward councillor Darren Cowell said that initiatives to help young people into training or unemployment were being hit hard by funding cuts.

He raised concern about central funding cuts to the Hele Hub project and cuts to the youth service.

"It is concerning that some of the services that are supposed to tackle these issues are facing cuts.

"There is a high youth unemployment rate and that is reinforced by the high number of households without anybody in work.

"There is increasing evidence that people are seeking advice because they are short of money especially with the changes to benefits.

"There needs to be a proper economic strategy to bring employment to Torbay instead of relying on tourism."

Mr Miliband said that Britain faces a 'youth unemployment emergency'.

He said: "This is a crisis we cannot afford. Government have set the right goal — abolishing long-term youth unemployment — but we will need big change if we are to achieve it."