Town is a top place to live

7:15am Thu Oct 04, 2012

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Bingham is officially one of the best places in the country to raise a family, according to a recent study.

The town was eighth in a survey by the finance organisation, Family Investments, which looked at factors such as school performances, house prices, crime levels, affordability of childcare and average salary.

The study, which compared figures for the town to the national average, said: “Famed for its market and farmers’ market, Bingham draws residents from local villages with its strong sports facilities, swimming pool, medical and shopping facilities.

“Its schools are also very highly regarded by locals, thanks largely to its reputation for strong Key Stage 2 results.

“What’s more, the average value of a two-bedroom property is well under the national average, making it a popular choice with young families.”

The town’s mayor, Mrs Tracey Kerry, who brought up two sons and two daughters in the town, said the result was partly down to Bingham’s outstanding educational facilities.

She said: “We have fantastic schools. Robert Miles junior and infants’ and Carnarvon are all first class and Toot Hill School comes close to the top schools in the county, if not the country.

“This provides a great grounding for our children.”

Mrs Kerry praised the number of Neighbourhood Watch schemes and police officers on the beat.

“We have a fantastic police presence, and plenty of community officers, which people like to see,” she said.

“They are not there as a deterrent, they are there as part of the community.”

Mr Jonathan Hammond, of Hammond Property Services, said the town’s success was down to several factors.

“The result is fantastic news,” he said.

“It just confirms what we already knew. We have got all the facilities you would need here — sports clubs, dance groups, Scouts, and so on.

“We have people wanting to move into Bingham and that is a property developer’s dream.”

Mr Hammond praised the local transport network, which has been improved by the dualling of the A46.

He also said the proposed development of The Crown Estate land to the north of the railway line would not be to the town’s detriment as there will be enough infrastructure in place to cope with the rise in population.