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MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

 

CORPORATE SERVICES OVERVIEW AND

SCUTINY COMMITTEE

6 MARCH 2012

 

 

REPORT OF HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS

 

Report prepared by Roger Adley and Clare Wood    

 

 

1.                RESIDENTS SATISFACTION SURVEY

 

1.1             Issue for Decision

 

1.1.1        To consider the results of the 2011-12 residents satisfaction survey.

 

1.2             Recommendation of the Head of Communications

 

It is recommended that the Committee:

 

i)             note the results of the 2011-12 residents satisfaction survey; and

ii)        note the findings and residents priorities for actions to be built into corporate and service level planning.

 

1.3          Reasons for Recommendation

 

1.3.1   The Council is committed to providing value for money services which   residents are satisfied with.  The 2011-12 residents survey provides   the Council with an insight into residents perceptions of the Council   and its service.  It also includes perceptions of the local area, levels   of agreement with actions to achieve the Council’s priorities and   suggestions for other issues the Council should be tackling.

 

1.3.2        The results are set out in full at Appendix 1 in the report by Lake Market Research, Maidstone.  Further ward level analysis of the results is attached at Appendix 2.  The report and the ward level analysis will be built into corporate and service level planning.

 

1.3.3        The survey is the first of its type since the Place Survey of 2008-09 and although not ‘like for like’ it tracks or provides similar comparison with a number of questions which were contained in the much longer Place Survey. It should be noted that the methodology differs from that of the Place Survey and that the sample size is smaller. It is intended that this survey is repeated every two years and therefore the results will become more robust over time.

 

1.3.4        The overall results suggest that residents are more satisfied with the Council than in 2008-09.  The survey includes 14 questions on satisfaction with the local area, the Council and council services. As stated in the Lake Market Research report there is margin of error allowed of +/- 3% and therefore any results within this level should be viewed cautiously.

 

1.3.5        Satisfaction has improved in five of the tracking questions from 2008-09:

 

·         Influence over local decisions +10%;

·         Satisfaction with the way the council runs its services + 20%;

·         Treating People Fairly +3%;

·         Doorstep recycling +27%;

·         Parks and Open Spaces +3%.

 

1.3.6        Satisfaction has also improved in four areas where we were able to ask similar questions to 2008-09:

 

·         Belonging to local area +24%;

·         Providing value for money + 14%;

·         Keeping residents informed +26%;

·         Maidstone Leisure Centre +10%.

 

1.3.7        By contrast there have been small falls in satisfaction with:

 

·         Satisfaction with the local area -1%;

·         Different backgrounds getting on well together -4%;

·         Refuse Collection -4%;

·         Street Cleanliness -4%.

 

1.39    It is worth noting that our routine in-house waste and street cleansing customer satisfaction surveys continue to record high levels of satisfaction with street cleansing (70%) and refuse collection (97%).

 

1.4          Alternative Action and why not Recommended

 

1.4.1        Cabinet could decide not to respond to the results of the survey but it is an independent assessment of resident’s views and can be used to improve services.  The survey also provides the Council with resident’s preferences for actions it should pursue.

 

1.5          Impact on Corporate Objectives

 

1.5.1        The Council is committed to putting the customer at the heart of the delivery of its services.  The survey provides valuable insight into resident’s perceptions of these services.

 

1.5.2        The survey includes resident’s perceptions of the Council’s strategic priorities and preferences for actions to achieve the priorities.

 

1.6          Risk Management

 

1.6.1        If the results of the survey are not considered it is possible that services to customers will not improve or could decline.  This could have an adverse affect on a range of council services

 

1.7             Other Implications

 

1.7.1    

1.      Financial	X
2.           Staffing	X
3.           Legal
4.           Equality Impact Needs Assessment
5.           Environmental/Sustainable Development
6.           Community Safety
7.           Human Rights Act
8.           Procurement
9.           Asset Management

 

1.7.2        Financial and Staffing – Further consideration of the results will have implications in terms of staff time.

 

1.8          Relevant Documents

 

1.8.1        Appendices

 

Appendix 1 – Report by Lake Market Research – Maidstone Borough Council/Satisfaction Report.

 

Appendix 2 – Ward Level Analysis of survey results.

 

1.8.2        Background Documents

 

The appendices listed above.

IS THIS A KEY DECISION REPORT? X     Yes                                               No     If yes, when did it first appear in the Forward Plan?   ..     This is a Key Decision because: ..   .       Wards/Parishes affected: ..   ..