Ipsos MORI's 2006 survey
of local residents satisfaction has put Suffolk Coastal top in
Suffolk for both its council and as an area in which to live. The
latest population statistics have also made us the county’s biggest
district with 122,000 people.
The Government requires all councils to carry out a Best Value
Satisfaction Survey every three years and Ipsos MORI received 1,757
responses from local residents. The survey was last carried out in
2003.
According to the survey, Suffolk Coastal scored top for
satisfaction in Suffolk and was 12th highest among 59 comparable
district councils. We had 61 per cent satisfied with the way things
are run, and even more importantly only nine per cent were
dissatisfied.
We also had the highest rating in Suffolk when people were asked
whether we had improved over the last three years. Indeed, despite
all the savings and efficiencies we have had to make in recent
years, only 11 per cent thought we had deteriorated, compared to a
Suffolk average of 19 per cent.
Suffolk Coastal also scored top in Suffolk and third out of 56
districts for cleanliness in its area, and top and 9th respectively
for waste collection. It also scored 77 per cent on questions that
asked if the Council was making the area a better place to live and
if it was working to make the area cleaner and greener.
A massive 91 per cent of residents said they were satisfied with
their area as a place to live, compared to a Suffolk average of 81
per cent and a national one of 77 per cent.
According to Ipsos MORI, ‘on the whole, the findings from the
Best Value Performance Indicators general survey are positive for
Suffolk Coastal. The Council records a high level of satisfaction
among residents with the way it runs things overall, above the
average for other district councils studied. The key message from
this survey is one of consolidation in some areas and improvements
in others since 2003/4.’
Based on its questions on what most needs improving locally and
what is important generally, Ipsos MORI concludes that there are
four key priorities according to residents - affordable decent
housing, activities for teenagers, health services and level of
crime.
When asked about anti-social behaviour, parents not taking
responsibility for the behaviour of their children and teenagers
hanging around were identified as the two biggest problems,
although these were less of a problem in this district than in the
rest of Suffolk.
Dealing or using of drugs is also seen as a far smaller problem
in this district than in the rest of Suffolk, while the survey
reports a big drop in concerns about abandoned or burnt out cars,
vandalism, and drugs use compared to 2003.
More than half said they feel well informed by Suffolk Coastal
about its services, which ranked it 11th best out of 56, although
there was a drop from 2003.
Although Suffolk Coastal did not score well when residents were
asked whether it appeared remote and impersonal, its score was
still better than average. The district also reflected the national
figures that residents feel that they would like to be more
involved in decision making but feel they do not have enough
opportunities, with 22 per cent saying they would like to be more
involved - although for most it would depend on the issue.
Follow this link to read
the Ipsos MORI report (new window PDF
492KB) in full.
Ipsos MORI has created a summary of the headlines from all of
the Best Value Satisfaction Surveys it carried out in Suffolk in
2006, which includes results from all the other councils in
Suffolk. Follow this link to view
the State of Suffolk presentation (new
window PDF 498KB).
Follow this link for help with downloading and opening PDF
files.