MALVERN residents are the happiest and the most healthy in the West Midlands – according to new figures published by a leading financial adviser.
A recent survey from Grant Thornton UK LLP has rated Malvernians the most happy in the region in its latest ‘Vibrant Economy Index’.
The Malvern Hills District has come top in the firm’s ‘health, wellbeing & happiness’ indicator with a score of 106.31, ranking it 23rd in England.
Reasons for Malvern topping the charts on happiness and health grounds is due to ‘higher than average levels of sports participation and life expectancy’ and ‘lower than average levels of adult and childhood obesity.’
Grant Thornton UK LLP, which has offices all over the country, published the results of the new index which measures how towns and cities in the West Midlands compare on a range of factors from prosperity to health, wellbeing & happiness, and inclusion and equality.
According to the firm, the index is based on 52 indicators of performance, tracking factors which enable businesses, communities and individuals to thrive.
These include economic measures such as Gross Value Added (GVA), educational attainment and average incomes, and combines them with data around fuel poverty, obesity levels, air quality and crime rates to give a picture of how a place is performing – not just economically, but also socially.
It also found that Worcester tops the West Midlands region’s scores for community, trust and belonging.
David Hillan, practice leader at Grant Thornton in Birmingham, said: “It’s clear from these results that pockets of Worcestershire are doing well, particularly in creating inclusive communities where people not only benefit from economic growth, but also feel engaged and are happy and healthy.
“But for Worcestershire and the West Midlands as a whole to achieve its full potential as a national economic and societal powerhouse there are serious issues in other areas that will require close collaboration to address.
“Given the importance of the West Midlands from a national perspective, we will all play a role in building a strong foundation for sustainable growth where people and businesses can thrive.”
Responding to the index results, Coun David Watkins, responsible for healthier communities for Malvern Hills District Council, said: “We are really delighted to see that Malvern Hills is the top regional town for health, wellbeing and happiness.
“One of our key priorities within our Five Year Plan is to build stronger and healthier communities, and our commitment to sport and leisure, improving people’s health, and strong partnership working will help us to achieve this.”
