Halifax in top five for the best connectivity in Europe

The town ranked highly because of the percentage of people using the internet and the good upload and download speeds, plus non-digital connectivity including the quality of roads and the distance to international airports.

Councillor Jane Scullion, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, Performance and Business Change, said: “This award is yet another thing putting Halifax and Calderdale on the international map.

"Physical and digital connectivity are so important for leisure and a thriving economy, so the accolade is further proof that our area is a great place to live, work and do business.

“The Council has an excellent track record for innovative digital services – for example, we were the first council in the country to introduce live chat. We are a 24-hour council with convenient, easy-to-access online services, which are proving very popular with local people.”