Agenda item

Purpose:

The report presents the results of the West Berkshire Resident’s Survey 2021.

Resolved that Executive:

·         Note the positive feedback provided by residents about satisfaction with the area and the Council; service improvement and prioritisation; communication and engagement; safety and feeling that they belong to the local area.

·         Note that the results of the survey will be used to inform the decisions about what will be prioritised in the Council Strategy 2023-2027 and to identify further communication and engagement activities with residents, especially from the groups with lower response rates to the survey. In addition, a number of actions are already being taken in response to the feedback received.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Councillor Doherty proposed the report (Appendix Item 9), which presented the results of the West Berkshire Residents’ Survey 2021. Cllr Doherty clarified an error on page 12 of the research report which recorded the percentage for the 16-24 year age group as 7% instead of the correct figure of 1%. It was noted that this would be revised for the published version of the report.

Councillor Doherty commented that it was important to have bought the report to Executive for the purpose of openness and transparency.

Councillor Culver suggested that it had been a lost opportunity in relation to carbon neutrality and failed to ask what action residents had done taken or what the Council could do to assist. Further there was no mention of climate emergency.

Councillor Doherty acknowledged the comment but explained that the survey had been intended to take a broad view of residents’ thoughts.

Councillor Pattenden queried what the Leader felt about the 63% of residents who did not feel that the Council provided good value for money and the 67% of respondents who did not wish to speak positively about the Council.

Councillor Doherty acknowledged that there was good and bad in the report and that the perception of value for money was interesting, suggesting that a large number of people did not use the services where there was highest level of spend such as social care. Councillor Doherty noted that work was underway to communicate with residents to highlight the breadth of services provided by the Council.  

It was noted that more could be done, but that in relation to national averages West Berkshire was still higher than most.

Councillor Abbs commented that it was concerning that 80% of residents felt that they could not influence local decisions.

Councillor Macro felt that litter was a big concern to local residents and queried whether it was related to the Council changing the street cleaning regime in previous years and suggested that the matter be re-visited.

Councillor Doherty agreed to review the issue.

Councillor Dillon commented that with not even four in ten residents feeling that the Council provided value for money, he would not be happy as the Leader.

Councillor Doherty responded by noting that there were positive and negatives within the report and it would be how the council responded to the report that would matter, forming as it did part of the delivery plan for the Communications and Engagement Strategy.

Councillor Marino seconded the report noting the positives but also that more could be done.

RESOLVED that: Executive

·         Note the positive feedback provided by residents about satisfaction with the area and the Council; service improvement and prioritisation; communication and engagement; safety and feeling that they belong to the local area.

·         Note that the results of the survey will be used to inform the decisions about what will be prioritised in the Council Strategy 2023-2027 and to identify further communication and engagement activities with residents, especially from the groups with lower response rates to the survey. In addition, a number of actions are already being taken in response to the feedback received.