by EWAN LAMB
It may have slipped your notice, but a so-called prosperity index published recently awarded the Scottish Borders a set of less than flattering ratings, notably in the fields of local governance, the environment for investment, and worst of all infrastructure.
The right wing Legatum Institute placed Scottish Borders 231st overall out of 379 UK local authorities in its 2021 prosperity league table - three places above Carlisle and three places below Newcastle-under-Lyme. But in some areas surveyed the Borders was among the lowest ranked in Scotland. The 231 rating was four places down on 2020.
However, the region was joint top of the entire UK class with Dumfries & Galloway, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire in a sector covering 'personal freedom'. This heading covered progress towards basic legal rights, individual liberties and social tolerance.
According to Baroness Philippa Stroud, the Legatum Institute chief executive officer: "The index will not only help decision makers 'level up' the country and unlock prosperity, but also track progress at the local level over time".
The index includes assessments of the natural environment, social capital including the strength of families, health outcomes and the quality of education.
Legatum suggests local authority and regional leaders can use the index to shape their policy priorities, and national, regional and local investors can use the data to inform capital allocation. It is claimed many of the aspects included in Legatum's calculations and conclusions are missed in the levelling up debate "that focuses narrowly on bridges and trains".
The top 25 council areas in the index are all located in the south-east of England with Wokingham at number one. East Renfrewshire is the highest ranked Scottish authority at number 41. Blackpool retains its spot in bottom place (379) with Glasgow third from the foot of the table.
Each ranking is based on 12 separate categories ranging from safety and security, including levels of local crime to Governance - the quality of local democracy; whether local politicians are trusted and the effectiveness of local government services. The quality of infrastructure and the conditions for enterprise also receive placings.
The statistics for Scottish Borders extend to 15 pages, and it has to be said some of the numbers make grim reading.
An overall ranking of 273 for governance includes a 368 for governance integrity and 304 for local government effectiveness. The regional infrastructure clearly failed to impress the assessors who ranked it 366 out of 379 and 29th out of 32 council areas in Scotland.
There was little to shout about either under Investment Environment - the extent to which investment capital is readily accessible and in demand - with an overall ranking of 293. Meanwhile Enterprise Conditions - the degree to which regulations enable businesses to start, compete and expand was well down the league at number 300, and when it came to Economic Quality - how well a local economy is equipped to generate wealth sustainability there was an even more dismal 324 ranking for the Borders.
Here are the Scottish Borders rankings in each of the 12 categories:
Safety and security - the degree to which violent crime, property crime, civil disorder and terror have destabilised the security of individuals - 7 out of 379.
Personal freedom - progress towards basic legal rights, individual liberties and social tolerance - 1=.
Governance - quality of local democracy, whether politicians are trusted, and effectiveness of local government services - 273.
Social Capital - strength of family, personal and social relationships - 178.
Investment Environment - extent to which investment capital is readily accessible and in demand - 293.
Enterprise Conditions - degree to which regulations enable businesses to start, compete and expand - 300.
Infrastructure - quality of infrastructure that enables commerce and business activity - 366.
Economic Quality - how well a local economy is equipped to generate wealth sustainability - 324.
Living Conditions - quality of living including material resources, digital connectivity, access to local amenities and protection from harm - 282.
Health - extent to which people are healthy and have access to services to maintain good health - 139.
Education - outcomes and quality across four stages of education from pre-primary to tertiary - 322.
Natural Environment - aspects of the physical environment that have a direct effect on people in their daily lives - 28.
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