[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-wealden":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":55,"averages":63,"peers":65,"rankLine":88,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":89,"contentMeta":121,"dataFrom":124,"dataTo":125,"dataChangedAt":126},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"wealden","Wealden","East Sussex","South East","south-east","Wealden Council",11174,988,12,361,[16,27,37,46],{"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,992,16,123,65.9,50,{"key":28,"name":29,"colourVar":30,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":31,"halfRange":32,"rank":33,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":35,"topPercent":36},"scaling","Scaling","--pillar-scaling",987,21,220,360,38.9,75,{"key":38,"name":39,"colourVar":40,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":41,"halfRange":42,"rank":43,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":44,"topPercent":45},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",970,25,105,70.8,33,{"key":47,"name":48,"colourVar":49,"compositeWeight":50,"shown":21,"score":51,"halfRange":52,"rank":53,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":54,"topPercent":26},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1030,18,127,64.8,{"national":56,"region":57,"county":60},137,{"rank":58,"of":59},39,64,{"rank":61,"of":62},3,6,{"county":31,"region":64},1003,[66,71,75,76,80,84],{"slug":67,"name":68,"score":69,"isCurrent":70},"lewes","Lewes",1017,false,{"slug":72,"name":73,"score":74,"isCurrent":70},"brighton-and-hove","Brighton and Hove",1008,{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":12,"isCurrent":21},{"slug":77,"name":78,"score":79,"isCurrent":70},"hastings","Hastings",964,{"slug":81,"name":82,"score":83,"isCurrent":70},"rother","Rother",948,{"slug":85,"name":86,"score":87,"isCurrent":70},"eastbourne","Eastbourne",945,"137th of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":90,"intro":91,"pillarCommentary":95,"compareSummary":100,"faqs":101,"metaDescription":120},"Wealden ranks 137th of 361 UK local authorities, with a Local Growth Score of 988: 12 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000, 15 points below the South East score and 1 points above the East Sussex score. It stands out most on Investment, at 970; its biggest opportunity is Scaling, at 987.",[92,93,94],"Wealden's scores are built from the area's 11,174 active companies, each measured on the same 16 characteristics.","The Local Growth Index scores every UK local authority on four pillars (Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG) using company-level data from the Beauhurst platform. Each measure is averaged across the area's companies, so a score reflects how active the typical local company is rather than how large the local economy is.","Every score is set against a fixed UK benchmark of 1,000, the score of the UK as a whole, so Wealden's 988 puts it 12 points below the UK. Its likely range, 976–1,000, shows how much the score could move with a slightly different mix of companies. A score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.",{"innovation":96,"scaling":97,"investment":98,"esg":99},"Wealden sits in the upper half nationally on Innovation, ahead of 65.9% of authorities. The Innovation pillar measures how rooted local companies are in research and new technology: granted patents filed in the last 20 years, university spinouts, R&D grant funding won in the last five years, and the share of companies in innovative sectors or the eight IS-8 growth sectors.","Scaling is Wealden's clearest opportunity, scoring 987 (13 points below the UK). It currently outperforms 38.9% of authorities. The Scaling pillar looks past the startup phase: how many local companies are scaleups, how fast established companies are adding staff, and how many have attended an accelerator.","Investment is Wealden's strongest pillar relative to other authorities, scoring 970 (30 points below the UK) and outperforming 70.8% of authorities nationally. The Investment pillar captures equity finance: how many local companies raised equity in the last five years, how much they raised, and how many raised for the first time.","Wealden sits in the upper half nationally on ESG, ahead of 64.8% of authorities. The ESG pillar tracks clean energy and other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and the share of companies set up on a not-for-profit basis.","Wealden scores 15 points below the South East score, and 1 points above the East Sussex score.",[102,105,108,111,114,117],{"question":103,"answer":104},"What is Wealden's Local Growth Score?","Wealden has a Local Growth Score of 988, ranking 137th of 361 authorities nationally. The UK as a whole scores 1,000. Its pillar scores are Innovation 992, Scaling 987, Investment 970, ESG 1,030.",{"question":106,"answer":107},"How is the Local Growth Score calculated?","Each company is measured on 16 characteristics, which are averaged across the area and compared with a fixed UK baseline. The results are combined into four pillar scores, and a composite weighted 30% each to Innovation, Scaling and Investment and 10% to ESG, on a scale where the UK scores 1,000.",{"question":109,"answer":110},"What is Wealden's strongest economic pillar?","Relative to other authorities, Investment is Wealden's strongest pillar at 970, placing Wealden in the top 33% of UK local authorities on that pillar.",{"question":112,"answer":113},"Where does Wealden have the most room to improve?","Scaling is Wealden's weakest pillar relative to other authorities, at 987, 13 points below the UK benchmark. It is the clearest opportunity for local economic development.",{"question":115,"answer":116},"How does Wealden compare to the rest of East Sussex?","Wealden ranks 3rd of the 6 authorities in East Sussex, scoring 1 points above the county score. The next-highest-scoring authority in the county is Lewes, on 1,017.",{"question":118,"answer":119},"How many active companies are based in Wealden?","Wealden has 11,174 active, non-dormant companies with their head office there. Every measure in the Local Growth Index is averaged across these companies.","Wealden scores 988 on the UK Local Growth Index, where the UK is 1,000, ranking 137th of 361 local authorities. Powered by Beauhurst data.",{"source":122,"cached":21,"generatedAt":123},"template","2026-10-20 10:49:00",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]