Two districts in Scotland have been voted the best places in the UK to bring up a family.
A poll by Reader's Digest awarded first place to East Dunbartonshire and second place to East Renfrewshire. The report, which surveyed 1162 parents and looked at official data, said safe streets, strong schools and thriving towns linked the winning places with good state schools and a low crime rate seen as the most important requirements for a family-friendly area. Other important factors included good local hospitals and affordable family housing.
Reader's Digest also used official data, such as Home Office crime figures, and Land Registry house price figures, to rank each area. From this the authors concluded, "If a single thread runs through the fabric of all these places, large and small, it is the golden one called 'community' - the concerned neighbours, teachers and community groups that stand behind safe streets, strong schools and thriving towns."
The area ranked last in 408th place was surprisingly Reading in Berkshire.
Top ten places to raise a family
1. East Dunbartonshire 2. East Renfrewshire 3. Forest of Dean, Glos 4. Vale of Glamorgan 5. Hambleton, North Yorkshire 6. Fareham, Hampshire 7. West Lothian 8. South Gloucestershire 9. Ribble Valley, Lancashire 10. Uttlesford, Essex
Bottom ten places to raise a family
399. Oxford, Oxfordshire 400. Lewisham, London 401. North Lincolnshire 402. Rother, East Sussex 403. Kingston upon Hull 404. Haringey, London 405. Hastings, East Sussex 406. North East Lincolnshire 407. Waltham Forest, London 408. Reading, Berkshire
April 2007
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