[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-stafford":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":55,"averages":63,"peers":66,"rankLine":100,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":101,"contentMeta":133,"dataFrom":136,"dataTo":137,"dataChangedAt":138},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"stafford","Stafford","Staffordshire","West Midlands","west-midlands","Stafford Council",6801,981,16,361,[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,1004,24,99,72.6,33,{"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",1000,28,161,360,55.3,50,{"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",926,29,262,27.2,75,{"key":47,"name":48,"colourVar":49,"compositeWeight":50,"shown":21,"score":51,"halfRange":52,"rank":53,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":54,"topPercent":36},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1023,22,143,60.4,{"national":56,"region":57,"county":60},157,{"rank":58,"of":59},10,30,{"rank":61,"of":62},3,9,{"county":64,"region":65},968,965,[67,72,76,77,81,85,89,93,97],{"slug":68,"name":69,"score":70,"isCurrent":71},"tamworth","Tamworth",986,false,{"slug":73,"name":74,"score":75,"isCurrent":71},"lichfield","Lichfield",982,{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":12,"isCurrent":21},{"slug":78,"name":79,"score":80,"isCurrent":71},"east-staffordshire","East Staffordshire",977,{"slug":82,"name":83,"score":84,"isCurrent":71},"stoke-on-trent","Stoke-on-Trent",969,{"slug":86,"name":87,"score":88,"isCurrent":71},"newcastle-under-lyme","Newcastle-under-Lyme",963,{"slug":90,"name":91,"score":92,"isCurrent":71},"south-staffordshire","South Staffordshire",955,{"slug":94,"name":95,"score":96,"isCurrent":71},"cannock-chase","Cannock Chase",943,{"slug":98,"name":99,"score":96,"isCurrent":71},"staffordshire-moorlands","Staffordshire Moorlands","157th of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":102,"intro":103,"pillarCommentary":107,"compareSummary":112,"faqs":113,"metaDescription":132},"Stafford ranks 157th of 361 UK local authorities, with a Local Growth Score of 981: 19 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000, 16 points above the West Midlands score and 13 points above the Staffordshire score. It stands out most on Innovation, at 1,004; its biggest opportunity is Investment, at 926.",[104,105,106],"Stafford's scores are built from the area's 6,801 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 Stafford's 981 puts it 19 points below the UK. Its likely range, 965–997, 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":108,"scaling":109,"investment":110,"esg":111},"Innovation is Stafford's strongest pillar relative to other authorities, scoring 1,004 (4 points above the UK) and outperforming 72.6% of authorities nationally. 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.","Stafford sits in the upper half nationally on Scaling, ahead of 55.3% 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 Stafford's clearest opportunity, scoring 926 (74 points below the UK). It currently outperforms 27.2% of authorities. 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.","Stafford sits in the upper half nationally on ESG, ahead of 60.4% 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.","Stafford scores 16 points above the West Midlands score, and 13 points above the Staffordshire score.",[114,117,120,123,126,129],{"question":115,"answer":116},"What is Stafford's Local Growth Score?","Stafford has a Local Growth Score of 981, ranking 157th of 361 authorities nationally. The UK as a whole scores 1,000. Its pillar scores are Innovation 1,004, Scaling 1,000, Investment 926, ESG 1,023.",{"question":118,"answer":119},"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":121,"answer":122},"What is Stafford's strongest economic pillar?","Relative to other authorities, Innovation is Stafford's strongest pillar at 1,004, placing Stafford in the top 33% of UK local authorities on that pillar.",{"question":124,"answer":125},"Where does Stafford have the most room to improve?","Investment is Stafford's weakest pillar relative to other authorities, at 926, 74 points below the UK benchmark. It is the clearest opportunity for local economic development.",{"question":127,"answer":128},"How does Stafford compare to the rest of Staffordshire?","Stafford ranks 3rd of the 9 authorities in Staffordshire, scoring 13 points above the county score. The next-highest-scoring authority in the county is Tamworth, on 986.",{"question":130,"answer":131},"How many active companies are based in Stafford?","Stafford has 6,801 active, non-dormant companies with their head office there. Every measure in the Local Growth Index is averaged across these companies.","Stafford scores 981 on the UK Local Growth Index, where the UK is 1,000, ranking 157th of 361 local authorities. Powered by Beauhurst data.",{"source":134,"cached":21,"generatedAt":135},"template","2026-10-20 10:50:31",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]