Positive feedback from Council’s Citizens’ Panel
Survey results from the Highland Council’s Citizens’ Panel show high levels of satisfaction with Council Services and captures peoples’ positive perceptions of community life in the Highlands.
The results of the 2013 survey, which gives panel members the chance to express their views on how the council is performing, were presented to the full council today (Thursday 5 September) along with details of some new actions the Council plans to take forward to reflect the importance placed on engaging with communities.
A total of 1151 responses were received from the Panel, which is made up of 2300 adults randomly selected from across the Highlands, giving a response rate of 49%.
Key findings include:
• 88% said they were satisfied with Council Services in 2012/13
• 90% say they found it easy to contact the Council
• 73% felt their request was dealt with by the first person contacted
• Of the 45 service areas surveyed, there were more positive views than negative views for 44 of them. Only roads repairs and potholes have more dissatisfaction than satisfaction.
• The top four most important services for the public are also the top four used by most people; road repairs and potholes, winter road maintenance, refuse/bin collection and recycling facilities. High satisfaction is found with refuse and recycling services
• The top 3 most important qualities for the Council to demonstrate and selected by over half the panel remain as maintaining good quality local services (71% selected this option), listening to local people (59%) and providing value for money (56%). On balance, the Council is viewed positively in demonstrating all of these. We are also viewed positively on being approachable, being helpful, being environmentally friendly, providing value for money and being efficient.
• All indicators on community life are positive with some of the highest scores ever recorded from our surveys, e.g.
Generally people with disabilities tend to have less positive feedback, but it is generally still positive. Older people, people with school age children and people living here for less than five years tend to view us more positively. 73.6% agree that Highland should do everything it can to get rid of all types of prejudice.
Following the findings, the Council plans to introduce some new actions which include holding focus groups with older people and people with disabilities to understand what is needed to assist them to use on-line services more. It also intends to explore the use of text messaging services noting this might be particularly useful for council housing tenants and people on the housing register.
Other actions planned before the survey was done that should affect future scores planned actions are:
• New investment to repair roads and pot holes;
• With partners addressing the top three community safety concerns as set out in the Single Outcome Agreement on road safety, alcohol misuse and anti-social behaviour. Also working to reduce the level of worry about being a victim of crime among people with disabilities and improving community safety perceptions in areas of multiple deprivation;
• With partners working to continuously improve employability services and to provide more affordable housing, both identified in the Single Outcome Agreement;
• The redevelopment of the website for 2014, including the ability for more self-service and payments;
• Automating the phone payment line and making it available 24/7 to enable more people to make payments outwith office hours;
Of all the Citizen Panel members who took part, 78% said they thought their views had been listened to, 89% said they found it useful to be a panel member and 90% said they felt it was worthwhile.
Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Drew Hendry said the findings of the survey were very positive and gave valuable feedback. “The panel members are our sounding board on the quality of Council services and a way to get feedback on the options for identifying the major savings needed in the coming few years. It is good news to know that this year we have the highest level of satisfaction with services, with 88% saying they are satisfied this year.
“In our Programme, Working Together For the Highlands, we give a clear commitment to measure our progress openly, report on it publicly and listen to communities to ensure we are delivering services that provide best value for Council Taxpayers and the Panel has a very important role in helping us to do this.”
Depute Leader, Councillor David Alston added: “We are very pleased indeed with the response from the Citizens’ Panel and my thanks go to everyone who took the time and trouble to respond to our detailed survey. The results are very encouraging and will shape the way we deliver services in the future.”
The full survey report, provided by the UHI Centre for Remote and Rural Studies is now available on the Council’s website /yourcouncil/howyourcouncilperforms/