[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-colchester":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":53,"averages":61,"peers":64,"rankLine":101,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":102,"contentMeta":134,"dataFrom":137,"dataTo":138,"dataChangedAt":139},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"colchester","Colchester","Essex","East of England","east-of-england","Colchester Council",11410,972,12,361,[16,26,36,44],{"key":17,"name":18,"colourVar":19,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":12,"halfRange":22,"rank":23,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":24,"topPercent":25},"innovation","Innovation","--pillar-innovation",0.3,true,16,179,50.4,50,{"key":27,"name":28,"colourVar":29,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":30,"halfRange":31,"rank":32,"rankOf":33,"outperforms":34,"topPercent":35},"scaling","Scaling","--pillar-scaling",996,21,181,360,49.7,75,{"key":37,"name":38,"colourVar":39,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":40,"halfRange":41,"rank":42,"rankOf":33,"outperforms":43,"topPercent":35},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",936,22,211,41.4,{"key":45,"name":46,"colourVar":47,"compositeWeight":48,"shown":21,"score":49,"halfRange":50,"rank":51,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":52,"topPercent":35},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1009,17,189,47.6,{"national":54,"region":55,"county":58},200,{"rank":56,"of":57},24,45,{"rank":59,"of":60},4,14,{"county":62,"region":63},956,991,[65,70,74,77,78,82,86,89,93,97],{"slug":66,"name":67,"score":68,"isCurrent":69},"uttlesford","Uttlesford",1013,false,{"slug":71,"name":72,"score":73,"isCurrent":69},"chelmsford","Chelmsford",979,{"slug":75,"name":76,"score":12,"isCurrent":69},"braintree","Braintree",{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":12,"isCurrent":21},{"slug":79,"name":80,"score":81,"isCurrent":69},"brentwood","Brentwood",964,{"slug":83,"name":84,"score":85,"isCurrent":69},"maldon","Maldon",957,{"slug":87,"name":88,"score":62,"isCurrent":69},"tendring","Tendring",{"slug":90,"name":91,"score":92,"isCurrent":69},"basildon","Basildon",953,{"slug":94,"name":95,"score":96,"isCurrent":69},"rochford","Rochford",950,{"slug":98,"name":99,"score":100,"isCurrent":69},"harlow","Harlow",948,"200th of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":103,"intro":104,"pillarCommentary":108,"compareSummary":113,"faqs":114,"metaDescription":133},"Colchester scores 972 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 200th of 361 local authorities and 28 points below the UK benchmark. It ranks 4th of 14 authorities in Essex and sits 16 points above the county score of 956. Investment is the weakest pillar, while ESG edges fractionally above the UK benchmark.",[105,106,107],"Colchester's composite score of 972 is built from four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.","Each score is averaged across the area's active companies, with corporate groups counted once, which means a smaller authority with highly active companies can outscore a larger one. That makes the index a fair comparison between authorities of very different sizes.","The UK as a whole scores 1,000, so Colchester's 972 sits a little below that national reference point. The likely range of 960 to 984 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":109,"scaling":110,"investment":111,"esg":112},"Innovation captures patents, academic spinouts, R&D grant value, innovative sector tags and IS-8 sector presence. Colchester ranks 179th of 361 authorities on this pillar, scoring 972, which is 28 points below the UK benchmark, though it outperforms just over half of all authorities.","Scaling measures whether companies are high-growth scaleups, their headcount growth rate and whether they have attended an accelerator. At 996, Colchester is only 4 points below the UK benchmark here, ranking 181st of 360 authorities, suggesting local companies are adding staff at a rate close to the national average.","Investment covers equity raisers, the value of equity raised and first-time raisers over the last five years. This is Colchester's weakest pillar: a score of 936 places it 211th of 360 authorities and 64 points below the UK benchmark, indicating that local companies are raising equity less actively than the UK norm.","ESG reflects clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and a not-for-profit proxy. Colchester scores 1,009 on this pillar, 9 points above the UK benchmark, ranking 189th of 361 authorities and making it the one area where the authority edges ahead of the national reference point.","The chart below compares Colchester's composite score against its neighbouring authorities in Essex.",[115,118,121,124,127,130],{"question":116,"answer":117},"What is Colchester's Local Growth Index score?","Colchester scores 972 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 200th of 361 local authorities and 28 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.",{"question":119,"answer":120},"How does Colchester compare to the rest of Essex?","Colchester ranks 4th of 14 authorities in Essex and scores 16 points above the Essex county score of 956.",{"question":122,"answer":123},"How does Colchester rank in the East of England?","Colchester ranks 24th of 45 authorities in the East of England region, scoring 19 points below the regional score of 991.",{"question":125,"answer":126},"Which pillar is Colchester strongest on?","Innovation is Colchester's highest-scoring pillar, though at 972 it still sits 28 points below the UK benchmark. The ESG pillar is the only one where Colchester exceeds the UK benchmark, scoring 1,009.",{"question":128,"answer":129},"Where does Colchester perform least well?","Investment is Colchester's weakest pillar, scoring 936 and ranking 211th of 360 authorities, 64 points below the UK benchmark. This reflects lower equity-raising activity among local companies relative to the national average.",{"question":131,"answer":132},"How many companies are counted in Colchester's score?","The index covers 11,410 active companies in Colchester, with corporate groups counted once rather than as separate registered entities.","Colchester scores 972 on the UK Local Growth Index, ranking 200th of 361 authorities and 28 points below the UK benchmark. See its Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG scores.",{"source":135,"cached":21,"generatedAt":136},"claude:claude-sonnet-4-6","2026-10-20 10:54:03",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]