EAST Herts and Harlow Enterprise Agency bosses are blaming falling unemployment figures for the slump in the number of people using its services over the past two years.o

The agency, based at Harlow College, provides support and advice for people looking to set up their own businesses in the area.

The number of people using its counselling sessions has dropped from 422 in 1999-2000 to 378 in 2000-2001.

Small business advisor David Mills said: "Overall the drop in the number of counselling sessions reflects a continuing trend in people coming to the agency for support. However 378 is still a very healthy number of client sessions for an agency of this size to have undertaken."

He added: "There is so much full employment in East Herts and unemployment figures in Harlow have dropped significantly over the last few years that it has taken what might have been our client base.

"Looking at the number of client sessions we've had from September to November, there has been a tailing off in terms of clients coming into the agency, but I feel that's likely to bottom out and we'll see a higher take up of our services in the current year.

"Next week I'm going to see an organisation in Harlow that's making people redundant. I'm going to talk to them about self employment and maybe they will come along to see us if they are interested in setting up their own business."