Richmond residents are proud to maintain that their borough is the best place to live in England, despite having narrowly missed out the top spot in a Government poll of happiness levels.
The Communities and Local Government Department carried out the first ever survey of people in England to find out how happy people were with the area in which they live. People across the country were asked how they felt about a range of different factors that affected their quality of life, including council services and problems with anti-social behaviour.
The City nudged itself into the top spot with a 92.4 per cent happiness rating, leaving Richmond in second place with 92.1 per cent. However, Richmond Council believes the City figures are “statistically insignificant” because the area has a population of less than 10,000.
It comes as no surprise that Richmond borough’s low crime rate and abundance of green spaces and active lifestyle choices are credited as the factors that make for such joyful residency.
Other areas of London fared less well, with Barking and Dagenham home to some of the least satisfied residents in the country, with a miserable happiness rating of only 56.6 per cent.
Overall, 80 per cent of the population were more or less satisfied with their lot, although performances of local authorities fared dismally: only 33 per cent of respondents felt services from their local council were adequate.
