Issue - meetings

To consider the results of the 2014 Residents’ Survey.

The Commission received a report on the results of the Residents’ Survey 2014. The survey looked at the impact of the last two to three years on residents and the good results from the survey were encouraging.

QA Research had conducted the survey, as they had done for the last survey in 2012. There was a high rate of return and the methodology had been reviewed this time for a representative sample of people in the borough. The 2014 survey was based on the 2012 survey so that comparisons could be made and trends tracked. The Black Minority Ethnic groups were under represented so face to face surveys were undertaken with these groups. The results were detailed in Annex 1 of the report and the differences in responses were analysed. The covering report included the key findings from the survey which showed strong community cohesion. Measures were positively linked with satisfaction in the area.

There was a Member Briefing Seminar on Monday 16 March 2015 to discuss the results of the survey.

In response to Members’ questions, the following points were made:

• Areas of dissatisfaction related to areas of the Council such as housing and road maintenance. Some issues such as road delays were outside the control of the Council. Further work would need to be undertaken in each service area, such as with focus groups, to identify the specific issues involved. Where planning was concerned, people may not approve of certain planning applications. A cross Council action plan was being prepared.
• Breakdown of the survey results by Ward would need further analysis to further understand people’s views.
• In 2012, the Council identified people’s preference for using social media and had moved more services online and increased the use of social media.
• Low levels of crime were popular in the previous survey and low levels of crime had been achieved in the Thames Valley.
• A representative sample of young people aged 16 to 24 years was surveyed. There was a separate Children and Young People’s Survey conducted by the Children, Young People and Learning department and the Children’s Society. Youth Services and Children’s Services did ongoing engagement work with the Youth Council.
• The Residents’ Survey was an overarching survey and each service area did its own engagement. Surveys were undertaken with businesses; there was a draft response to the infrastructure survey and a skills survey would soon be undertaken.

The Chairman suggested that further work could be undertaken in the area of dissatisfaction levels in the borough at a relevant point in the future.