Anti-Social Behaviour Survey Spreads

An extra 250 households in Invergordon have joined the 1500 that have been sent surveys by The Highland Council to collect opinions on anti-social behaviour.

This year’s anti-social behaviour postal survey aims to collect local opinions on anti-social behaviour from households in established Community Warden areas and from those residents living in the newly approved area in Invergordon.

Those surveys returned by residents living in the Community Warden areas of Coulpark, Firhill, Kirkside, Milnafua and Westford in Alness, and South Lodge in Invergordon will again allow the Council to see if people’s feelings have changed over the past year and since the Community Wardens started in May 2004.

Stephen Callan, Ross and Cromarty Area Housing Manager, explained that the questionnaires were just one of the ways that the Housing Service was continuing to consult local residents, whether Highland Council tenants or not, about how safe they feel in their community and about what types of anti-social behaviour worry people most.

"We used the data we collected from our first household survey in Spring 2004 to give us a base line measure of how each community felt about crime and disorder issues before our Community Wardens started work. Last year the survey helped us check if the things that people were worried about had changed. It also helped us to prioritise the work that the Community Warden did to make sure they continued to be responsive to people’s concerns. This year’s survey will help us check if communities feel the Wardens have again made a difference," he said.

Following Area Committee approval at the beginning of April another 250 households in the King George Street, Queen Street, Bermuda Road, Seaforth Crescent and Birchwood areas of Invergordon have now been included in the South Lodge Community Warden area.

Invergordon councillor John Connell urged residents in these new areas to return their surveys.

"It is important that the Council find out what concerns you have in your area and how they differ from the other Community Warden areas. This means the Community Warden can then prioritise their work around the issues that matter to you most," he said.

The Scottish Executive provided the majority of the funding for three Community Warden posts in Alness and Invergordon for an initial pilot period of two years starting May 2004. This has been extended for another two years and allowed the South Lodge area to expand. The Highland Council Housing Service manages the Community Warden initiative in the Highlands in consultation with local community representatives and statutory partners.

This year’s postal questionnaire sent to households should be returned to Housing Services in the pre-paid envelopes by Friday, 19 May 2006.

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