Issue - meetings

To inform Members of the outcomes of the first Place Survey and to ask for views on options for next year.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the contents of the Place Survey, and the analysis included in the annexes to the report, be noted.

                        (ii)        That approval be given to spend the Place Survey budget in the ‘fallow’ year of 2009/10 on assessing the root causes of the 2008/09 results rather than conducting a full survey, in accordance with Option 2 and Officers’ recommendations.

                        (iii)       That, in view of the Council’s financial position, the sample size remain the same in the next Place Survey.

REASON:      To ensure that time is set aside to gauge customers’ attitudes to public services and combat ‘consultation fatigue’.

Members considered a report which presented the outcome of the first Place Survey and sought their views on options for next year.

In 2008/09, the Place Survey had replaced the annual Residents Opinions Survey and the statutory planning, library and benefits surveys.  It sought residents’ views on their local area rather than just their local authority and focused more on outcomes than processes.  A postal survey had been sent to a random sample of 3,145 residents during September 2008, with a 40% response rate.  The results, as set out in Annex A to the report, showed that York’s performance was above average in 13 of the 18 National Performance Indicators (NPIs) and in the top quartile in 10 of these NPIs, comparing well against 55 similar local authorities.  An equalities analysis of the results, detailed at Annex B to the report, showed little difference in satisfaction with the Council within the equalities groups, with the exception of age.  36% of residents aged 35-54 were ‘satisfied’, compared to 62% of those aged 75+.

The Place Survey must be conducted every other year.  Previously, the Council had conducted a Residents’ Survey annually, regardless of statutory requirements.  Members were invited to consider the following options:

Option 1 – conduct the Place Survey every year.

Option 2 – conduct the Place Survey every other year, with more specific research (eg with focus groups) in the intervening year.  It was recommended that the 2009/10 budget be spent on looking at the reasons for 2008/9 results, which would be a cost neutral option.

Option 3 – conduct the Place Survey every other year, with more specific research (eg with focus groups) later in the same year.

Option 4 – do not conduct any surveys in 2009/10, thus saving the £8k budget.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the contents of the Place Survey, and the analysis included in the annexes to the report, be noted.

                        (ii)        That approval be given to spend the Place Survey budget in the ‘fallow’ year of 2009/10 on assessing the root causes of the 2008/09 results rather than conducting a full survey, in accordance with Option 2 and Officers’ recommendations. ¹

                        (iii)       That, in view of the Council’s financial position, the sample size remain the same in the next Place Survey. ²

REASON:      To ensure that time is set aside to gauge customers’ attitudes to public services and combat ‘consultation fatigue’.