158,285 in 2001141,500 in 1991

Area: 112 square miles

Unemployment: 2% (3.1%)

Politics

Borough council: Lab 29; Con 10; Lib Dem 4; Ind 10; NA: 1. Cabinet 8 (all Lab).

MPs: Peter Bradley, The Wrekin (Lab); David Wright, Telford (Lab)

Education

Net budget pound;76.418m, 87% delegated to schools.

Schools: 2 nurs; 65 primary; 13 secondary; 4 special.

Teachers. Full-time: 1,293.

Part-time: 247 (FTE 125)

Exam passes (in %)

KS1 L2: reading 85 (84); writing 89 (86); maths 92 (90)

KS2 L4: English 69 (75); maths 70 (73); science 85 (86)

KS3 L5: English 68 (66); maths 67 (67); science 68 (66)

GCSE 5 A-Cs: 49.7 (51).

1998 37.8; 1999 41.6; 2000 43.7; 2001 43.9

National averages given in brackets