BLAENAU Gwent is the worst area in Wales at coping with the economic downturn but Monmouthshire is the best, according to a new report.

Newport, meanwhile, is in the top ten best authorities when facing the current economic situation.

The study looked at the resilience of all 22 Welsh authorities faced with the impact of the economic crisis on businesess, people, places and the community.

Blaenau Gwent’s poor performance was put down to issues such as low educational achievement and long-term unemployment.

The research has been compared to that carried out two years ago and sees Newport make the biggest climb in the rankings by moving eight positions higher in the 'place' category.

This category measures statistics such as school achievements, crime rates and commercial office space.

Blaenau Gwent is ranked as one of the bottom two authorities for each category – something that hasn’t changed since the last set of figures in 2010.

Monmouthshire is in the top four authorities for each category, as in 2010. Newport is ninth overall, Torfaen 18th and Caerphilly 19th.

The report puts Blaenau Gwent’s poor performance down to factors such as its high crime rates, “extremely high” rates of business insolvencies over the last 12 months and low educational achievement.

Blaenau Gwent council’s education department was placed in special measures last year, after Estyn inspectors found major failings in its education provision.

The study, commissioned by BBC Wales, also found the area has high long-term unemployment rates.

The area had the highest crime rate in Wales of 577 per 10,000 population, according to data from the British Crime Survey for 2010/11.

Sajood Yasin’s uncle Matloob Hussain, 58, was a crime victim in December. A would-be robber burst into his Abertillery shop demanding cash and claiming to have a gun. Mr Yasin, a partner in Yasin General Stores with Mr Hussain, said “Abertillery is getting worse.”

But Chief Inspector Marc Budden said the latest statistics show crime in Blaenau Gwent has fallen 12 percent (615 fewer victims) and that anti-social behaviour has reduced by 25 percent, which is 1,533 fewer incidents.

“This has been achieved through the hard work of our officers, together with partners,” he said.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Rest should copy the best

A WALES-wide study into how our county boroughs are faring has once again named Monmouthshire as the most resilient.

This means that the county is most likely to withstand the current pressures of the downturn and cuts in public sector spending.

Meanwhile, Blaenau Gwent once again finds itself at the bottom of the rankings, along with other former mining communities.

These are hardly surprising findings, but do give cause for concern.

There have been numerous schemes over many years aimed at improving the lot of our former mining towns and villages, many of which lost their raison d’être with the decline in heavy industry.

Reports like this illustrate that they have been at the very best ineffective.

It is not difficult to see how low educational achievement, high crime rates, high rates of insolvency in business and unemployment are all linked.

What is interesting for Newport is that it has leapt up the rankings since a similar report two years ago, thanks to a significant improvement in GCSE results. This is just the latest evidence of the improvement in education having an impact on Newport’s standing nationally and one which we hope will continue.

But perhaps what is needed is strong national leadership to make sure the best practice from one authority is mirrored in others.