BROMSGROVE is the least deprived area in the West Midlands, according to official statistics.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures ranked each council from one to 317, with low numbers indicating higher levels of deprivation.

Bromsgrove was placed 268th in the table nationally, and last for the West Midlands.

The rankings use the most up-to-date data on income, employment, education, health and crime, as well as housing services and the environment, to assess more than 32,800 small areas or neighbourhoods across England.

None of Bromsgrove's neighbourhoods appear among the 10% most deprived nationally.

The local authorities with the five highest proportions of deprived neighbourhoods are all in the north – no change from the previous statistics in 2015.