Local MP Welcomes News That Swindon Ranked In Top 10 Of Prestigious Cities Index

Justin Tomlinson MP has welcomed the news that Swindon is once again ranked in the top 10 nationally of the prestigious PwC Good Growth for Cities index.

Each year, Demos & PwC assess the day-to-day life chances of people from across the UK. This index seeks to measure growth in a more rounded way; assessing:

·        Jobs 
·        Health 
·        Income
·        Skills
·        Housing
·        Work-Life Balance
·        Income Distribution
·        Transport
·        Environment
·        New business start-ups 

As with last year's index, Swindon performed well above the UK average in several key areas. These include: 
·        Jobs 
·        Income 
·        Health 
·        New business start-ups 

PwC worked with members of the general public to select and rank the issues which were most important to them, such as employment and health.

Justin Tomlinson MP said: "The Good Growth for Cities Index is a prestigious, independent assessment of life across the UK. For the second year in a row, Swindon has ranked in the top 10 nationally - ahead of London, Cardiff, Birmingham & Manchester. This data shows that Swindon has once again excelled in job creation, has above average earnings and more companies are setting up in Swindon than in a number of major cities. It's clear from this report that our town is on the right track: unemployment is down, youth unemployment is down, the number of people in work is at a record high and the number of people developing new skills through an apprenticeship is on the rise."

You can read the PWC Good Growth for Cities Index report at www.pwc.co.uk/goodgrowth