A major new national survey on what people think of their local area and council demonstrates the importance of strengthening local democracy, said Communities Secretary John Denham today (23 September 2009). Mr Denham said the latest results from the Place Survey – based on more than 500,000 people’s views and perceptions about where they live – demonstrated how important it was for councils to listen to local people and act on their behalf.
The survey revealed that the majority of local people were satisfied with local services: GP – 81 per cent; Fire Service – 81 per cent; Police – 56 per cent; local hospital – 73 per cent; and dentist – 69 per cent. Earlier results showed that overall satisfaction with where people lived was 80 per cent. Better services have been possible because of government reforms and record investment.
In addition, councils now have greater responsibility for their area. The three-year funding settlements has given greater flexibility on how councils spend money. This includes fewer targets; a remit to work with police to tackle anti-social behaviour and the NHS on social care and public health; powers to raise a supplement on business rates to support long-term economic development. And next year they will share responsibility for education and training for 16 to 19 year olds – worth around £7bn a year.
However, the survey also showed that people also want to see improvements in extra curricular activities for teenagers (46 per cent), street repairs (41 per cent), traffic congestion (36 per cent) and crime levels (31 per cent). In addition, over 60 per cent did not feel well informed about local services. In the past year only 3 to 4 per cent had been involved in an actual decision and less than a third (32 per cent) were aware of how to go about getting involved. This comes despite earlier findings showing that 27 per cent would like to be more involved in decisions affecting their community.
Despite the improved picture overall, John Denham believes lack of local awareness of public services and low level of involvement reinforces the need for councillors – as democratically elected representatives – to act on behalf of local people and make sure services are delivered to the standards residents expect. As part of the Government’s wider drive to personalise services around the needs of the individual, CLG has been consulting on how to renew engagement with local democracy and strengthen council powers to scrutinise local services and make sure they are meeting the needs of local people.
Mr Denham said: “This is an important survey because it tells us that people feel happy about where they live and recognise that their local services – the GP, hospital, police and fire brigade – are doing a good job, which reinforces what government has done to invest and improve communities and public services. However, we know that not every problem can be solved from Whitehall which is why this government has devolved more and more to local leaders. And local government can be strengthened further, by giving citizens a bigger role in shaping the places where they live and the public services they use. I want local councils to be able to scrutinise the services people want to see improved like anti social behaviour, street repairs and after school activities for teenagers. This is not about strengthening councils for their own sake, it’s about underpinning the rights of citizens through their elected representatives to make sure local government can fight the corner of local people.”
Today’s findings are supplementary questions to the first ever national Place Survey of over half a million people aged 18 or over from all across the country who were asked questions about their local community, the public services they receive, their views on their councils, and how engaged they are. Today’s survey also revealed that:
* 71 per cent felt local public services treated everyone fairly
* Nearly two thirds (64 per cent) agreed they were working to make the local area safer
* Two thirds (66 per cent) felt councils were working to make area greener and cleaner
* 42 per cent agreed local public services promoted the interests of local residents. With 44 per cent agreed they acted on those concerns
* Over half (61 per cent) cited crime as the number one issue that made a good place and 44 per cent said health services
* Over half (51 per cent) felt safe after dark with 43 per cent most worried about teenagers hanging around the streets.
