Rother survey shock

More than 1,000 parents with children under 16 were polled by the Reader's Digest and asked to rate their home towns on a variety of criteria - giving these a rating from one to 10, depending on their importance.

The factors were then weighted depending on the importance parents gave to them.

Good state schools and a low crime rate were seen as the most important requirements for a family-friendly area, according to the poll.

These were closely followed by good local hospitals and affordable family housing, the researchers concluded.

A low risk of flooding was rated as the sixth most important factor by parents.

The Reader's Digest also used official data, such as Home Office crime figures, and Land Registry house price figures, to rank each area.

The survey's authors then visited winning areas to hear from parents about what was important to them.

Reading in Berkshire was ranked worst, closely followed by Waltham Forest in London and North East Lincolnshire.

Hastings came in a disappointing fourth while Rother came in a surprisingly poor seventh.

The study's authors commented: "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 which stand behind safe streets, strong schools and thriving towns."

Rother leader Cllr Graham Gubby dismissed the survey as "absolute rubbish."

He said: " I treat this survey with the contempt it deserves.

"People who live in Rother know the area and what it's like."

He said Rother had some of the best schools in the South East and some of the lowest unemployment figures.

He added: "We can't build enough houses for the people who want to come and live here."