[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-west-lancashire":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":53,"averages":61,"peers":64,"rankLine":102,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":103,"contentMeta":135,"dataFrom":138,"dataTo":139,"dataChangedAt":140},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"west-lancashire","West Lancashire","Lancashire","North West","north-west","West Lancashire Council",5723,976,18,361,[16,27,37,45],{"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,956,24,237,34.3,75,{"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",1028,34,59,360,83.6,20,{"key":38,"name":39,"colourVar":40,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":41,"halfRange":42,"rank":43,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":44,"topPercent":26},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",936,33,210,41.7,{"key":46,"name":47,"colourVar":48,"compositeWeight":49,"shown":21,"score":50,"halfRange":51,"rank":43,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":52,"topPercent":26},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1002,23,41.8,{"national":54,"region":55,"county":58},176,{"rank":56,"of":57},9,35,{"rank":59,"of":60},2,14,{"county":62,"region":63},960,973,[65,70,71,75,79,83,87,90,94,98],{"slug":66,"name":67,"score":68,"isCurrent":69},"lancaster","Lancaster",1025,false,{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":12,"isCurrent":21},{"slug":72,"name":73,"score":74,"isCurrent":69},"burnley","Burnley",972,{"slug":76,"name":77,"score":78,"isCurrent":69},"chorley","Chorley",970,{"slug":80,"name":81,"score":82,"isCurrent":69},"ribble-valley","Ribble Valley",966,{"slug":84,"name":85,"score":86,"isCurrent":69},"south-ribble","South Ribble",963,{"slug":88,"name":89,"score":86,"isCurrent":69},"hyndburn","Hyndburn",{"slug":91,"name":92,"score":93,"isCurrent":69},"fylde","Fylde",958,{"slug":95,"name":96,"score":97,"isCurrent":69},"rossendale","Rossendale",950,{"slug":99,"name":100,"score":101,"isCurrent":69},"wyre","Wyre",948,"176th of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":104,"intro":105,"pillarCommentary":109,"compareSummary":114,"faqs":115,"metaDescription":134},"West Lancashire scores 976 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 176th of 361 authorities and 24 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000. Its strongest result is on Scaling, where it ranks 59th nationally and sits 28 points above the UK benchmark. Innovation and Investment both trail the national benchmark, pulling the composite slightly below 1,000.",[106,107,108],"The composite score is built from four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted at 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.","Each score is averaged across the authority's active companies, with corporate groups counted once. That averaging means a smaller authority with highly active companies can outscore a larger one, making this a fair comparison between authorities of very different sizes.","The UK as a whole scores 1,000, so West Lancashire's composite of 976 places it marginally below the national baseline across its 5,723 active companies. The likely range of 958 to 994 shows how much the score could shift with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is published only when that range is narrow enough to rely on.",{"innovation":110,"scaling":111,"investment":112,"esg":113},"Innovation measures patents, academic spinout status, R&D grant value, innovative sector tags and IS-8 sector tags. West Lancashire ranks 237th of 361 authorities on this pillar, scoring 956, which is 44 points below the UK benchmark, and outperforms only 34.3% of authorities, making it the area's weakest dimension.","Scaling measures whether companies are classified as scaleups, their headcount growth rate and accelerator attendance. West Lancashire ranks 59th of 360 authorities here, scoring 1,028, placing it 28 points above the UK benchmark and in the top 20% nationally. This is the authority's standout pillar, outperforming 83.6% of authorities.","Investment measures equity raisers, the value of equity raised and first-time equity raisers over the last five years. West Lancashire scores 936 on this pillar, 64 points below the UK benchmark, ranking 210th of 360 authorities and outperforming 41.7%. This is the largest gap to the national baseline across the four pillars.","ESG measures clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and not-for-profit proxy status. West Lancashire scores 1,002 here, just 2 points above the UK benchmark, ranking 210th of 361 authorities. It is the only pillar where the authority sits at or above the national baseline alongside Scaling.","The chart below compares West Lancashire's composite score and pillar scores with those of neighbouring authorities in Lancashire.",[116,119,122,125,128,131],{"question":117,"answer":118},"What is West Lancashire's score on the UK Local Growth Index?","West Lancashire scores 976, placing it 176th of 361 authorities and 24 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.",{"question":120,"answer":121},"How does West Lancashire compare with the rest of Lancashire?","West Lancashire ranks 2nd of 14 authorities in Lancashire and scores 16 points above the county average of 960. The next-highest authority in the county is Lancaster, which scores 1,025.",{"question":123,"answer":124},"Which pillar is West Lancashire strongest on?","Scaling is West Lancashire's strongest pillar. It ranks 59th of 360 authorities nationally, scoring 1,028, which is 28 points above the UK benchmark and puts it in the top 20% of all authorities.",{"question":126,"answer":127},"Where does West Lancashire rank in the North West region?","West Lancashire ranks 9th of 35 authorities in the North West and scores 3 points above the regional average of 973.",{"question":129,"answer":130},"What does the Innovation score tell us about West Lancashire?","Innovation covers patents, academic spinout status, R&D grant value, innovative sector tags and IS-8 sector tags. West Lancashire scores 956 on this pillar, 44 points below the UK benchmark, ranking 237th of 361 authorities.",{"question":132,"answer":133},"How reliable is West Lancashire's Local Growth Index score?","The composite likely range runs from 958 to 994, which is narrow enough to publish with confidence. This range shows how much the score could move with a slightly different mix of companies among the 5,723 active companies counted.","West Lancashire scores 976 on the UK Local Growth Index, ranking 176th of 361 authorities. Strong on Scaling, below benchmark on Innovation and Investment.",{"source":136,"cached":21,"generatedAt":137},"claude:claude-sonnet-4-6","2026-10-20 10:52:08",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]