[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-swale":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":54,"averages":62,"peers":65,"rankLine":104,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":105,"contentMeta":137,"dataFrom":140,"dataTo":141,"dataChangedAt":142},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"swale","Swale","Kent","South East","south-east","Swale Council",7189,964,14,361,[16,27,36,45],{"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,959,19,223,38.2,75,{"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",995,26,190,360,47.2,{"key":37,"name":38,"colourVar":39,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":40,"halfRange":41,"rank":42,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":43,"topPercent":44},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",924,27,272,24.4,100,{"key":46,"name":47,"colourVar":48,"compositeWeight":49,"shown":21,"score":50,"halfRange":51,"rank":52,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":53,"topPercent":26},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1005,20,198,45.2,{"national":55,"region":56,"county":59},241,{"rank":57,"of":58},52,64,{"rank":60,"of":61},8,13,{"county":63,"region":64},967,1003,[66,71,75,79,83,87,91,95,96,100],{"slug":67,"name":68,"score":69,"isCurrent":70},"dover","Dover",1023,false,{"slug":72,"name":73,"score":74,"isCurrent":70},"canterbury","Canterbury",994,{"slug":76,"name":77,"score":78,"isCurrent":70},"tunbridge-wells","Tunbridge Wells",991,{"slug":80,"name":81,"score":82,"isCurrent":70},"tonbridge-and-malling","Tonbridge and Malling",981,{"slug":84,"name":85,"score":86,"isCurrent":70},"maidstone","Maidstone",975,{"slug":88,"name":89,"score":90,"isCurrent":70},"sevenoaks","Sevenoaks",974,{"slug":92,"name":93,"score":94,"isCurrent":70},"ashford","Ashford",969,{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":12,"isCurrent":21},{"slug":97,"name":98,"score":99,"isCurrent":70},"thanet","Thanet",955,{"slug":101,"name":102,"score":103,"isCurrent":70},"folkestone-and-hythe","Folkestone and Hythe",950,"241st of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":106,"intro":107,"pillarCommentary":111,"compareSummary":116,"faqs":117,"metaDescription":136},"Swale scores 964 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 241st of 361 local authorities and 36 points below the UK benchmark. Its companies score close to the national average on Scaling and ESG, but Investment is the weakest area, sitting 76 points below the benchmark. The composite score falls 3 points below Kent and 39 points below the South East region.",[108,109,110],"Swale's composite score is built from four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.","The index measures the characteristics of active companies in each authority, with corporate groups counted once. Because scores are averaged across those companies rather than summed, a place with 7,189 active companies can be compared fairly with a much larger or smaller authority.","The UK as a whole scores 1,000, so Swale's 964 indicates that its companies, on average, are somewhat less active across the measured characteristics than the UK norm. Each score also comes with a likely range showing how much it could shift with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is published only when that range is narrow enough to rely on.",{"innovation":112,"scaling":113,"investment":114,"esg":115},"Innovation captures patents, academic spinout status, R&D grant value, innovative sector tags and IS-8 sector classifications. Swale scores 959 on this pillar, 41 points below the UK benchmark, ranking 223rd of 361 authorities. Its companies outperform 38.2% of authorities on this measure, suggesting innovation activity is somewhat below the national norm.","Scaling reflects whether companies are 20% scaleups, their annualised headcount growth and whether they have attended an accelerator. At 995, Swale's Scaling score is only 5 points below the UK benchmark and ranks 190th of 360 authorities, making it the strongest of Swale's four pillars and broadly in line with national levels of high-growth activity.","Investment covers whether companies raised equity in the last five years, the amount raised and whether a deal was a company's first ever equity raise. Swale's score of 924 is 76 points below the UK benchmark, ranking 272nd of 360 authorities. This is the area where Swale's companies show the greatest gap relative to the national average.","ESG measures clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and not-for-profit proxy status. Swale scores 1,005 on ESG, placing it 5 points above the UK benchmark and 198th of 361 authorities. This means Swale's companies are marginally ahead of the national average on these environmental and social characteristics.","The chart below shows how Swale's composite score compares with neighbouring authorities in Kent.",[118,121,124,127,130,133],{"question":119,"answer":120},"What is Swale's overall score on the UK Local Growth Index?","Swale scores 964, placing it 241st of 361 local authorities and 36 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.",{"question":122,"answer":123},"How does Swale compare with the rest of Kent?","Swale's composite score of 964 is 3 points below the Kent average of 967, ranking it 8th of the 13 authorities in the county.",{"question":125,"answer":126},"Which pillar is Swale strongest on?","Scaling is Swale's highest-scoring pillar at 995, only 5 points below the UK benchmark and ranking 190th of 360 authorities.",{"question":128,"answer":129},"Where does Swale have most room to improve?","Investment is Swale's weakest pillar, scoring 924 and sitting 76 points below the UK benchmark. It ranks 272nd of 360 authorities on this measure.",{"question":131,"answer":132},"How does Swale rank in the South East region?","Swale ranks 52nd of 64 authorities in the South East, with its composite score 39 points below the regional average of 1,003.",{"question":134,"answer":135},"How many companies are counted in Swale's score?","The index counts 7,189 active companies in Swale, with corporate groups counted once rather than as individual registered entities.","Swale scores 964 on the UK Local Growth Index, ranking 241st of 361 authorities and 36 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.",{"source":138,"cached":21,"generatedAt":139},"claude:claude-sonnet-4-6","2026-10-20 10:57:09",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]