Your Views

Overall Satisfaction for the Council has improved from 41% in 2003/4 to 53% in 2006/07

Every three years an independent agency carries out Best Value Surveys. This is a statutory requirement from central government to measure residents’ satisfaction with our services. The results from these surveys are used to identify priorities for Thanet residents’ and to help improve our service provision. In 2005 we also commissioned MORI to carry out some research to ﬁnd out perceptions about a number of issues, particularly around liveability and quality of life in Thanet. During November 2005 MORI carried out face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of 1,000 Thanet residents.

So what do people think matters most? Over the last four years low levels of crime has remained the top priority in making Thanet a good place to live. The health service and clean streets have also been in the top group of priorities for the area, and following the most recent Best Value Survey 2006/07 affordable decent housing has also been noted as a top priority.

What’s the most important thing in making somewhere a good place to live?

	The level of crime	60%
	Health service	59%
	Affordable decent housing	43%
	Clean streets	40%
	Job prospects	35%
	Education provision	30%

Bar chart - A good place to live

Over the past four years low levels of crime have been identiﬁed by residents as either the ﬁrst or second priority that ‘most needs improving’ in Thanet. In 2003-04 road and pavement repairs were identiﬁed as the top priority (47.9%) and low levels of crime the second (44.5%). The MORI survey in 2005 showed that residents were concerned about activities for teenagers (42%). By 2006-07 crime was identiﬁed as the area most in need of improving (51.2%) followed by the level of trafﬁc congestion (49.6%).

Thinking about the local area which things most need improving?

	The level of crime	51%
	Health service	50%
	Affordable decent housing	43%
	Clean streets	37%
	Job prospects	36%
	Education provision	33%

Bar chart - Improving local area

The last time we asked residents whether they thought we provided value for money was in 2005. The results showed that we have work to do in terms of convincing our residents that we do provide good value for money.

Do we provide value for money?

	The level of crime	28%
	Health Service	41%

Value for money barchart

It is well known that residents who feel better informed about a council and its activities also tend to feel more satisﬁed with the council overall. Residents have shown us that we need to improve the way we communicate with them as the majority do not feel well informed.

How informed are residents?

	Very well informed	4%
	Fairly well informed	32.5%
	Not well informed	37.8%
	Not well informed at all	25.7%

Bar chart - How informed are residents?

Every three years we are required to conduct surveys to measure residents satisfaction with our services. The latest survey was conducted last year and showed improvement in most areas as shown in the following chart.

How satisfied are residents?

	2003-4	2006-7
Street cleanliness	51%	64%
Waste service	77%	81%
Recycling facilities	65%	65%
Kerbside recycling	66.7%	80%
Sports/leisure facilities	52%	47%
Parks and open spaces	77%	67%