WORKERS in jobs classed as 'elementary occupations' – such as cleaners and security guards – are paid less in Warrington than anywhere else in the country, according to new analysis.

The findings, commissioned by the BBC, also revealed people in the town earn an average weekly wage of £510 – £29 lower than the national average.

Employees in jobs classed by the Office for National Statistics as 'elementary occupations' are paid less in Plymouth and Warrington, £205 per week, with people in equivalent roles in Slough paid about twice as much.

But Warrington & Co, the council's business arm, believes the figures covering the highest and lowest wages in the UK's largest towns and cities are 'heavily skewed'.

A spokesman said: "Analysis of the statistics indicates that northern city wage rates are led by wages in Leeds with an average of £533 per week, followed by Liverpool, Manchester and Warrington.

"The average wage in Liverpool and Manchester is £512, with Warrington being comparable at £510.

"The average national wage is £539.

"However, it is recognised that these figures are heavily skewed by the average wage figure for London – which is £727 – and the south-east more broadly."

The spokesman also pointed to Centre for Cities' annual Cities Outlook 'health check'.

He added: "The last one was published in January, which declared that Warrington's economy continues to perform strongly and Warrington features eighth highest in the UK in terms of the number of private to public sector jobs.

"Nationally, it is the only urban economy in the north to feature in the top 10.

"Moreover, in its table of 'cities and jobs likely to see an increase in demand to 2030', or those cities which have been successful in attracting jobs to date and reacting to the changing labour market, Warrington was ranked as sixth best in the UK, the only city in the north of England in the top 10 – and it ranked higher than London, which was placed ninth.

"Warrington ranks fifth out of the 63 cities when it comes to the high-skill private sector occupations that are likely to grow up to 2030, suggesting that the trajectory of Warrington's economy is looking strong on a national scale.

"Warrington also has the highest gross value added in the north of England, with an average of £49,400."