Isles of Scilly lead national ranking of community spirit
The Isles of Scilly have been named the friendliest place in England in a new index that ranks all 296 local council areas. The study, which forms part of the University of Oxford's National Conversation Project, draws on government data from the Community Life Survey and measures how often people speak to their neighbours, feelings of loneliness and belonging, pride in the local area and participation in civic life.
Following the Isles of Scilly in the top five were South Hams in south Devon, West Devon, Derbyshire Dales and Richmond upon Thames. At the other end of the scale, Barking and Dagenham was named the least friendly area, with Stoke-on-Trent, Ashfield, Mansfield and Ipswich making up the rest of the bottom five.
The index is intended to encourage people to share how their experience compares with the data, as part of the National Conversation, an engagement project that has already gathered views from thousands of British people about what unites and divides the country.
Local leaders celebrate Devon's strong showing
South Hams and West Devon, which coincidentally share a council workforce, were both among the top three. Leaders from both councils welcomed the recognition, attributing it to the strong community spirit found across their towns, villages and rural communities.
Dan Thomas, leader of South Hams District Council, said: "Anyone who knows the South Hams will understand why it has been recognised this way. Yes, we're lucky to have beautiful coast, countryside, villages and towns, but what really makes this district special is its people. Across the South Hams, there are so many residents, businesses, volunteers and community groups who quietly go out of their way to help others, welcome visitors and look after the places they care about."
Mandy Ewings, leader of West Devon Borough Council, said: "We are delighted that West Devon has been recognised as the third friendliest place to live in the UK." The recognition highlights the efforts of residents, businesses and community groups who work hard to support one another, with local business communities playing an important role in bringing people together and supporting vibrant high streets.
A broader picture of social division
The index sits within a wider effort to understand social cohesion across Britain. The views collected in the survey will inform a report later this year by the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion, which was set up to tackle what it describes as "the converging crises of social disconnection and division" in the UK.
The commission is co-chaired by Sajid Javid, the former Conservative home secretary, and Jon Cruddas, the former Labour policy coordinator. Its stated mission is to better understand the country's state of connection and cohesion and create a shared vision for how people can live well together.
In its first report, published last year, the commission warned that "communal life in Britain is under threat" as a result of declining community infrastructure and institutions, weaker family units, growing inequality, dwindling trust in institutions and chronic neglect from policymakers. The report also identified current threats that are turning social disconnection into something more dangerous, including the mismanagement of immigration, cost of living pressures and social media-driven extremism. The commission concluded that the UK is "sitting on a tinderbox of disconnection and division."
Jon Cruddas said he nearly choked on his cornflakes when he saw his old area come rock bottom in the index. The National Conversation survey remains open until the end of August.