[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-southend-on-sea":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":52,"averages":60,"peers":63,"rankLine":103,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":104,"contentMeta":136,"dataFrom":139,"dataTo":140,"dataChangedAt":141},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"southend-on-sea","Southend-on-Sea","Essex","East of England","east-of-england","Southend-on-Sea Council",15304,933,9,361,[16,27,36,44],{"key":17,"name":18,"colourVar":19,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":22,"halfRange":23,"rank":24,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":25,"topPercent":26},"innovation","Innovation","--pillar-innovation",0.3,true,923,13,339,6.1,100,{"key":28,"name":29,"colourVar":30,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":31,"halfRange":32,"rank":33,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":35,"topPercent":26},"scaling","Scaling","--pillar-scaling",952,17,331,360,8.1,{"key":37,"name":38,"colourVar":39,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":40,"halfRange":41,"rank":42,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":43,"topPercent":26},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",916,18,301,16.4,{"key":45,"name":46,"colourVar":47,"compositeWeight":48,"shown":21,"score":49,"halfRange":23,"rank":50,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":51,"topPercent":26},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,961,310,14.1,{"national":53,"region":54,"county":57},344,{"rank":55,"of":56},41,45,{"rank":58,"of":59},12,14,{"county":61,"region":62},956,991,[64,69,73,77,80,84,88,91,95,99],{"slug":65,"name":66,"score":67,"isCurrent":68},"uttlesford","Uttlesford",1013,false,{"slug":70,"name":71,"score":72,"isCurrent":68},"chelmsford","Chelmsford",979,{"slug":74,"name":75,"score":76,"isCurrent":68},"braintree","Braintree",972,{"slug":78,"name":79,"score":76,"isCurrent":68},"colchester","Colchester",{"slug":81,"name":82,"score":83,"isCurrent":68},"brentwood","Brentwood",964,{"slug":85,"name":86,"score":87,"isCurrent":68},"maldon","Maldon",957,{"slug":89,"name":90,"score":61,"isCurrent":68},"tendring","Tendring",{"slug":92,"name":93,"score":94,"isCurrent":68},"basildon","Basildon",953,{"slug":96,"name":97,"score":98,"isCurrent":68},"rochford","Rochford",950,{"slug":100,"name":101,"score":102,"isCurrent":68},"harlow","Harlow",948,"344th of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":105,"intro":106,"pillarCommentary":110,"compareSummary":115,"faqs":116,"metaDescription":135},"Southend-on-Sea scores 933 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 344th of 361 local authorities and 67 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000. All four pillars sit below the UK benchmark, with Innovation the weakest and ESG the closest to it. The authority ranks 12th of 14 authorities in Essex and 41st of 45 in the East of England.",[107,108,109],"The composite score is built from four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted at 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.","Each score is an average across the authority's active companies, with corporate groups counted once. That averaging means a smaller authority with highly active companies can outscore a larger one, making the index a fair basis for comparing places of very different sizes.","A score of 1,000 represents the UK as a whole, so Southend-on-Sea's composite of 933 sits below that national level across all four pillars. The likely range of 924 to 942 shows how much the score could shift with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.",{"innovation":111,"scaling":112,"investment":113,"esg":114},"Innovation covers patents, academic spinouts, R&D grant value, innovative sectors and IS-8 sectors. Southend-on-Sea ranks 339th of 361 authorities on this pillar, 77 points below the UK benchmark, and outperforms only 6.1% of authorities, making it the area's weakest pillar and a clear gap relative to national activity.","The Scaling pillar measures scaleups, headcount growth and accelerator participation. At 952, Southend-on-Sea sits 48 points below the UK benchmark and ranks 331st of 360 authorities, though this is the narrowest gap to the national level of any pillar other than ESG.","Investment captures equity raisers, equity raised and first-time raisers over the last five years. Southend-on-Sea ranks 301st of 360 on this pillar and is 84 points below the UK benchmark; it outperforms 16.4% of authorities, making it the relative standout among the area's four pillars despite sitting well below the national level.","The ESG pillar covers clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and a not-for-profit proxy. Southend-on-Sea scores 961 here, 39 points below the UK benchmark and ranking 310th of 361 authorities, the closest of its four pillars to the national level.","The chart below sets Southend-on-Sea's composite score of 933 against its neighbours in Essex, where the county average is 956.",[117,120,123,126,129,132],{"question":118,"answer":119},"What is Southend-on-Sea's score on the UK Local Growth Index?","Southend-on-Sea scores 933, placing it 344th of 361 local authorities and 67 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.",{"question":121,"answer":122},"How does Southend-on-Sea compare with the rest of Essex?","Southend-on-Sea scores 23 points below the Essex average of 956 and ranks 12th of 14 authorities in the county.",{"question":124,"answer":125},"Which pillar is strongest for Southend-on-Sea?","Investment is the relatively strongest pillar, ranking 301st of 360 authorities and outperforming 16.4% of authorities, though it still sits 84 points below the UK benchmark.",{"question":127,"answer":128},"Where does Southend-on-Sea rank in the East of England?","It ranks 41st of 45 authorities in the East of England, scoring 58 points below the regional average of 991.",{"question":130,"answer":131},"What does the UK Local Growth Index actually measure?","It measures the characteristics of a place's business economy across four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG. It is not a measure of economic output or GDP.",{"question":133,"answer":134},"How many companies are included in Southend-on-Sea's score?","The score is based on 15,304 active companies, with corporate groups counted once rather than as separate registered entities.","Southend-on-Sea scores 933 on the UK Local Growth Index, ranking 344th of 361 authorities and 67 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.",{"source":137,"cached":21,"generatedAt":138},"claude:claude-sonnet-4-6","2026-10-20 11:05:47",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]