Community Survey results
The number of people doing voluntary work in the St Albans District has risen sharply over the last three years, a community survey has revealed.
Almost one in every three residents (30%) say they have given unpaid help at least once a month to a charity or other worthwhile cause.
The figure for the autumn 2018 survey is up significantly on the 22% recorded at a previous survey in 2015.
It follows action by St Albans City and District Council, together with partner organisations, to encourage more volunteering.
In other findings, three out of four residents, 77.2%, felt a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood – up slightly from 75%.
Nine out of ten residents (90.1%) said they were satisfied with their local area as a place to live - virtually the same as 2015’s 90.5%.
Two thirds (66%) were satisfied with the performance of the Council (2015: 71%) and 87% agreed that people in the District from different backgrounds got on well together (2015: 88%).
The Council services residents are most satisfied with were parks and open spaces (87%), refuse collection (82%) and street markets (84%).
Satisfaction with museums and galleries was 63% - a significant rise from 2015’s 54%. This follows the opening of the new £7.75 million Museum + Gallery in June last year.
Among the services residents were least satisfied with were housing (24%), planning and building control (29%) and parking (36%).
The main issues that residents felt were very or fairly big problems were litter (39%) and drug use or dealing (26%).
However, 68% said the police and other public services were successful in tackling community safety issues in their local area (2015: 76%).
The figure for residents who believe the Council provides value for money was 38% (2015: 46%)
Some 69% of residents felt the Council kept them fairly or very well informed about its services and the benefits it provides.
And almost half (46%) said they felt very or fairly well informed on how they could get involved in local decision making – up 10% from 2015.
The Council carries out a community survey every three years to assess residents’ views on its services and local life in general.
On this occasion, the survey was sent to 4,000 randomly selected households across the District in October last year and around 1,300 replies were received.
Opinion Research Services, an independent market research company, carried out the exercise.
A report on the findings is to be given to a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet on Thursday 28 February.
In response to the research, Council officers will now develop action plans to tackle the key concerns.
Councillor Alec Campbell, the Council’s Leader and Portfolio Holder for Resources, said:
I’m pleased with the rise in volunteering which shows our efforts to reverse a downward trend have been successful. We will continue to encourage and support this to higher levels across the District.
I’m also pleased that 90% of our residents are satisfied with the District as a place to live – and around the same number say it is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well.
A substantial majority of residents remain generally satisfied with how we are doing as a Council and how we are keeping people informed about the big issues.
There were very high satisfaction levels for many of our services including our wonderful parks and our waste collection service where there has been a significant rise in the recycling rate.
We will now be looking at those areas where there are some concerns to fully understand them and see how best we can move forward.
There are already changes in place such as a new housing repairs contract which offers new services to tenants. One of our priority projects is our Local Plan, which identifies areas for future development and is expected to be submitted to the Government this spring.
The community survey has been a valuable exercise as it tells us what we are doing right and highlights the areas where we can raise our game, so we can make better-informed decisions and policies.
To view the Cabinet papers, including the community survey report, see: bit.ly/2XmVJtl
To view the community survey in full, see: bit.ly/2NrecAp
Councillor contact:
Cllr Alec Campbell,
Leader and Portfolio Holder for Resources,
St Albans City and District Council.
Tel: 07793 550200
Email: cllr.a.campbell@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
John McJannet,
Principal Communications Officer,
St Albans City & District Council
Tel: 01727 296130
Email: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk