Cheshire East top performer

Cheshire East has emerged as the top performer across all 39 local authorities in the North West, according to a new study examining social and economic performance.

Business advisory group Grant Thornton has ranked all 324 English local authority areas against six socio-economic objectives, going beyond GDP to provide a holistic view of strengths and areas of opportunity. The study measures key indicators and awards an overall ‘vibrancy’ score, with 100 being the national average.

Cheshire East is the highest performer in the North West, leading the way on a series of economic metrics for prosperity, dynamism and opportunity. It is also well placed nationally across a range of indicators around communities, including resilience, sustainability, inclusion and equality.

Cheshire West also scored well, in third position in the North West behind Trafford, and just ahead of Warrington and South Lakeland.

The study reveals a sharply contrasting picture of life within the North West’s two largest cities, as both scored highly for their economic dynamism, but poorly for health and happiness. Manchester made it into the top 20% in the country for prosperity, dynamism and opportunity, but in the bottom 20% nationwide for inclusion, equality, health, happiness and wellbeing. Liverpool mirrored this polarised portrait of the cities – it ranks in the top 20% nationally for dynamism and opportunity, but also scored poorly for inclusion, equality, health, wellbeing and happiness, ranking in the bottom 20%.