Swindon is one of the most vibrant, successful and growing areas in the south west, according to a new report by the Confederation of British Industry.

The CBI’s Reviving Regions South West report includes scorecards on 12 different areas.

Swindon is one of only two – along with Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire – to be ranked overall as “above average and gaining ground”.

The scorecard shows Swindon workers to be on average the most productive in the whole south west. The borough’s gross value added per hour – a measure of how much is added to the economy, is the highest at £49.40 – well above the south west average of £31.

The report says Swindon companies spend £721 on research and development per head, again much more than the regional average of £445.

It says 100 per cent of schools in the borough are above national minimum standards and Swindon has an employment rate of 80.5 per cent – putting it in the 88th percentile for the region – and above the regional average of 78 per cent.

Household income in Swindon is an average of £19,804 per person, which is slightly below average, putting the town in the 46th percentile. Its house prices are also slightly below average.

Those figures – plus one of the shortest average commutes in the region at 21 minutes and a broadband speed well above the regional average – means the satisfaction with life score puts Swindon in the 71st percentile.

The report says: “High quality of life and improved connectivity make the region an attractive location for investment and business relocation. By utilising the region’s natural resources and building grid capacity, opportunities exist for the region to help the UK achieve net-zero by 2050."

Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard, who also has responsibility for growing the economy in the borough, was very happy with the report.

He said: “I am delighted to see that the CBI has recognised that Swindon is performing strongly on a range of economic, social and productivity measures.

"It is clear that our Conservative long-term policies and planning are paying dividends and that our day-to-day efforts to attract private and public investment is making Swindon fit for the future.

"We continue with our drive to make Swindon even better place to work, live and play.”