Louth and Horncastle MP hits back at study ranking East Lindsey as worst place to live in UK
A defiant MP has hit back at a study that labelled East Lindsey as the worst place to live in the country.
The UK Better Lives Index recently ranked the district as the worst place to be born and live in the country.
The study, by the thinktank the International Longevity Centre, highlighted high levels of health inequalities and poor quality of life.
Louth and Horncastle MP Victoria Atkins disagreed with the study and said: “The authors of this report should step away from their spreadsheets and come blinking into the sunshine in the Wolds or coast to visit some of the places they so airily dismiss.
“The public know they’re wrong – as more and more people choose to live here and we host millions of visitors each year. East Lindsey will continue to thrive long after this report is forgotten.”
Ms Atkins said that many towns have received investment, including Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea.
She added: “East Lindsey is a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.
“We are proud of our excellent local schools, great food and drink, beautiful countryside and coastline, our RAF personnel who defend the nation, our farmers who feed it, as well as our real sense of community, seen every day in our villages and market towns.
“Whilst we have challenges like any other area, we have a proven record of success in securing investment, through the Conservative government’s Towns Fund and Levelling Up Fund.
“Thanks to these funds, Mablethorpe now has a state-of-the-art sports and leisure centre, Sutton on Sea has its magnificent refurbished Colonnades and our coastline is being conserved as a nature reserve, to name just a few of the projects.”
The report highlighted that East Lindsey’s avoidable mortality rate per 100,000 (deaths that are preventable with healthcare intervention) is 303.7 – according to the study.
It was found that less than half of those aged 16 and above (49.9%) were economically active – with 35% of people aged 50-64 economically inactive.
The government has announced that Mablethorpe will receive £20 million in funding over the next ten years as part of the government’s £5 billion Pride in Place programme.
The programme aims to give local communities more power to revive their high streets, parks and open spaces.