DAVID CAMPBELL

Area ranks low in prosperity list ... while communities just miles away are among best

Renfrewshire has ranked among the lowest areas in the UK in a new prosperity index.

It was placed 342 out of 379 local authorities in the new study, which uses economic, social, health and wellbeing indictors to measure how well the area is performing.

The UK Prosperity Index, published by the think-tank the Legatum Institute, shows Renfrewshire sitting in 24th place from 32 regions in Scotland.

East Renfrewshire fares far better in the study, coming in at 41st overall and first in Scotland.

The study’s authors say it will be used to hold the UK Government accountable on its ‘levelling-up’ agenda.

The index, which uses 256 indicators, reveals that Scotland is the 11th most prosperous place in the UK, although it is ranked first in the UK for its healthcare systems, and rural areas enjoy low rates of crime and good air quality.

Scotland’s main challenges are improving its education and strengthening its investment environment for business, which are both the weakest in the UK.

Prosperity in Scotland is also being undermined by weak local governance, with councils struggling to deliver key services.

Professor Matthew Goodwin, director of the Legatum Institute’s Centre for UK Prosperity, said: “The UK Prosperity Index is the most ambitious assessment of prosperity across the country to date.

“With detailed data on all boroughs and council areas, it is a transformational tool that can help policy makers and influencers target their interventions more effectively on the journey towards greater prosperity.

“The index will be updated annually, allowing citizens, businesses, local authorities, regions, and national government to track progress over time and hold decision makers to account.

“The holistic and rigorous approach we have taken has allowed us to identify issues that have previously been missed in the discussion about how to level-up the country.

“It highlights that, while Scotland performs well on the safety of local communities and the natural environment, we also need to invest in areas such as governance, education, and the investment environment for businesses if we are to see all citizens, neighbourhoods, and communities reach their full potential.

“We hope ourindex will help leaders across Scotland set their agendas and implement strategies that will unlock real prosperity.”

It’s the most ambitious assessment of prosperity