Harrow is among the ‘most prosperous’ areas in London, according to a new report.
The ‘UK Prosperity Index’ for 2021, compiled by the Legartum Institute, placed the borough 37th out of all local authorities in the country.
This was the third highest in the capital – after Richmond and the City of London – and represented a significant improvement from last year’s table, where it came 53rd.
The borough scored well on governance, investment, infrastructure, and economy, and was the tenth best performing authority in terms of education.
Despite this, as with most parts of London, it was among the worst placed in terms of safety and security, while it also scored poorly when it came to personal and societal relationships.
In neighbouring Brent, there was also an improvement from 2020 as it jumped from 215th to 178th in terms of the national rank.
However, this still placed it among the lowest in London, with only eight boroughs in total further down the table.
As with Harrow, it was given good marks for education, investment, infrastructure, and economy, but there were concerns around safety, the natural environment in the borough and general living conditions.
Professor Matthew Goodwin, director of the Legatum Institute’s Centre for UK Prosperity, said: “Genuine prosperity is about far more than building a strong economy or giving people bridges and trains.
“The index shows that we also need to invest in areas such as safety and security, health, enterprise conditions, and family and community life if we are to see all citizens, neighbourhoods, and communities reach their full potential.”
At a nationwide level, Wokingham, Waverley, and Elmbridge – all in the south-east of England – were deemed the top three most prosperous regions, while Blackpool, Middlesbrough, and Glasgow City were the least.
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