A new report on the impact of coronavirus claims that as many as 72,800 jobs could be at risk in Cornwall.

The figure represents 27% of all jobs in Cornwall and is included in a report which is due to go to Cornwall Council’s Cabinet next week.

The document spells out the staggering effect of the pandemic on the county’s economy, and warns that the recovery could well ’take years’.

Other headline points from the report include:

The tourism sector has made losses of £630m, while wholesale, retail and motoring have made losses of £596m

Unemployment in the county as a whole has risen by 61 percent, with some pockets expereicning a 165 percent rise in the number of universal credit claimants.

The report, set to go before Cornwall Council’s leaders next week, has been written by Cornwall Council’s business cell – one of several cells set up at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic to coordinate the county’s response to the crisis.

Members report that there has been a significant negative impact on Cornwall’s economy, and that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have been disproportionately impacted due to the high proportion of self-employed – 23% of the total workforce compared to 16% nationally – and small businesses here. The negative effect on tourism has also been significant.

The report says: ’The estimated loss to the tourism sector in Cornwall by the end of June is £630m, and this does not take into account the strong linkages between the visitor economy and other sectors such as food and drink and the maritime sector that are experiencing significantly reduced demand due to the lockdown of the visitor economy.”

A graphic shows the decline in individual sectors in Cornwall as a result of the lockdown.

Wholesale, retail and motors has seen losses of £596m; accomodation and food £555m; manufacturing £209m; construction £164m; education £128m; transportation and storage £122m.

Other areas include public administration £90m; other services £87m; administrative and support £81m; arts and entertainment £75m; agriculture, forestry £55m; financial and insurance £39m; information and technology £23m; real estate £8m; water and waste £4m; energy £3m and mining and quarrying £2m.

There were just two industries which saw an increase with professional and scientific going up £14m and health and social work by £243m.

There has been an overall increase in Universal Credit claimants of 61 percent across the county, with some areas seeing a jump of 165 percent in unemployment rates.

The business cell report highlights that a marked difference was made thanks to the swift implementation of grant schemes provided by the government which saw more than £222m paid to more than 19,500 businesses.

Its report concludes: ’The Business Cell will want to continue the close cooperation between partners that has been established as a response to COVID-19 as we move towards the reopening and recovery phase.

’The work around economic recovery is expected to be needed for months and potentially years.’

By Richard Whitehouse, local democracy reporter