Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006 Carlisle District Report

Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006

Carlisle District Report

2

Part 1: Key findings

3

Key findings (1) – quality of life

The Quality of Life Survey findings point to a number of important differences between liveability and satisfaction in Carlisle and in Cumbria as a whole. An important factor underlying these differences is likely to be the urban make-up of the Carlisle district, in contrast with the more rural nature of many other parts of the County.

Levels of satisfaction with the local area are relatively high in Carlisle, with 84% of residents saying they are satisfied.

However, people living in Carlisle are less satisfied with their local area than those in Cumbria overall (70% net satisfied in Carlisle, compared with 79% in Cumbria) and are more likely to say the area has got worse in recent years.

While Carlisle residents are broadly in line with those in the County as a whole on key health indicators, they are more likely to smoke than are residents Cumbria-wide.

4

Key findings (2) – crime and safety

Concern about crime is more widespread in Carlisle than it is in Cumbria overall. A higher proportion of negative comments about the local area from Carlisle residents relate to crime issues than is the case for residents County-wide.

Carlisle residents are more likely to be worried about being a victim of crime and less likely to feel safe outdoors after dark than are Cumbria residents generally. 34% of Carlisle residents say they feel unsafe outside after dark, which compares with around three in ten people nationally (British Crime Survey 2005/6).

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a key concern for Carlisle residents, as it is for those in Cumbria overall – and most do not feel well informed about what is being done to combat it.

5

Key findings (3) - participation

A strong sense of community cohesion is evident in Carlisle, as it is in Cumbria generally – more than half of residents say they feel they belong to their community, although those in Carlisle are less likely to feel they belong and less likely to say they trust most people locally than Cumbria residents overall are. Half of residents believe people in their neighbourhood are able to influence local decision-making by working together.

Many Carlisle residents are keen to have more of a say in Council decisions, with a third giving this view, compared to around one in five residents nationally (source: Ipsos MORI research for the DCLG). It should be noted, however, that previous Ipsos MORI research has shown residents tend to ‘overclaim’ in terms of their actual willingness to get involved.

6

Key findings (4) - liveability

In terms of what makes an area a good place to live, a low level of crime is seen as more important in Carlisle than in Cumbria overall, while health services are seen as less important. The concern with crime is likely to reflect the urban make-up of Carlisle when compared with many other parts of the County.

Liveability issues such as clean streets are an important driver of Carlisle residents’ satisfaction with the local area – as they are for Cumbria residents overall. Litter, dog fouling, and pavements blocked by parked cars are particular concerns for people in Carlisle and may be priorities for the Council to address.

7

Key findings (5) – service delivery

Carlisle residents’ top priorities for improvement in their local area are activities for teenagers, traffic congestion and road and pavement repairs. While traffic congestion is cited by a higher proportion of Carlisle residents as in need of improvement than by residents in Cumbria overall, other issues – housing, wage levels and the cost of living, public transport and job prospects - are seen as less in need of improvement.

Broadly speaking, residents think service delivery in the local area is good. Satisfaction with a number of local services and facilities – the opportunities for adult education, bus services, leisure facilities for young people, the availability and quality of dentists and public toilets - is higher among users of these services in Carlisle than it is in Cumbria overall.

Satisfaction with certain services and facilities, however – children’s playgrounds and play areas, libraries, hospitals, train services and social services – is lower among users of these services resident in Carlisle than in Cumbria overall.

8

Interpretation of the data

A sample, not the entire population of Carlisle, has returned a survey questionnaire. All results are therefore subject to sampling tolerances, and not all differences between percentages are statistically significant. As a guide, when comparing Cumbria against the districts there needs to be a difference of 6 percentage points for that difference to be statistically significant.

Data have been weighted to the known demographic profile of the area from the 2001 Census and to account for relative differences in the population size of districts.

Where percentages do not sum to 100, this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of ‘don’t know’ categories, or it being possible to give multiple answers to that question.

In this headline report, reference is made to ‘net’ figures. This represents the balance of opinion on attitudinal questions, and provides a useful means of comparing the results for number variables. For example, if 40% of residents are satisfied and 25% dissatisfied, the ‘net satisfaction’ figure is +15 points.

Caution should be taken when making comparisons with national data such as the British Crime Survey due to the different methodologies used.

9

Part 2: Liveability in Carlisle

10

Quality of life (1)

29%

28%

26%

23%22%

19%

61%

45%

39%

35%

34%

30%

31%

24%

55%

48%

35%

39%

50%

34%

CumbriaCarlisle

Q Thinking generally, which of the things below would you say are most important in making somewhere a good place to live?

% Top ten mentions

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 362 Carlisle residents

Affordable decent housing

The level of crime

Health services

Education provision

Job prospects

Clean streets

Access to nature

Parks/open spaces

Traffic congestion

Public transport

11

Quality of life (2)

Cumbria

Carlisle

29%

28%

26%

23%

22%

19%

66%

49%

36%

31%

52%

37%

20%

26%

20%

24%

61%

45%

39%

35%

34%

30%

31%

24%

55%

48%

35%

39%

50%

34%

Q Thinking generally, which of the things below would you say are most important in making somewhere a good place to live?

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 362 Carlisle residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents


The level of crime

Health services

Education provision

Job prospects

Clean streets

Access to nature

Parks/open spaces

Traffic congestion

Public transport

2003/04 Cumbria BVPI

12

Improvements to local area

Cumbria

Carlisle

22%

21%

20%

19%

26%

19%

37%

20%

34%

29%

30%

36%

28%

37%

29%

21%

53%

41%

37%

31%

26%

26%

28%

34%

50%

27%

37%

26%

38%

21%

Q And thinking about this local area, which of the things below, if any, do you think most need improving?

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 362 Carlisle residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents

% Top ten mentions

Activities for teenagers

Job prospects


Public transport

Traffic congestion

Road/pavement repairs

Level of crime

Clean streets

Facilities for young children

Wage levels/cost of living

2003/04 Cumbria BVPI

13

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Importance vs. need for improvement

Access to nature

Activities for teenagers

% Most need improving

% Most important


Clean streets

Cultural facs.

Education provision

Facs. for young children

Health servicesJob prospects

The level of crime

Level of pollution

Level of traffic congestion

Parks and open spaces

Public transport

Race relations

Road and pavement repairs

Shopping facilities

Sports facs.

Wage levels and local cost of living

Base: 362 Carlisle residents

Community activities

14

29%

55%

12%2%

3%

Sat%

Not sat%

Carlisle 84 13

Cumbria 88 8

Satisfaction with local area

Very satisfied

Not stated

Not very satisfied

Fairly satisfied

Not at all satisfied

Q Overall how satisfied are you with your local area as a place to live?


15

Q Overall how satisfied are you with your local area as a place to live?

70%

79%

84%

71%

77%

89%

86%

Satisfaction with Cumbria and districts

±% Net satisfaction

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 362 Carlisle; 373 Allerdale; 314 Barrow; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

16

Q On the whole, do you think over the last 3 years your local area has got better, got worse or stayed the same?

Changes in local area

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

10

7

5

8

5

4

7

65

73

63

64

74

69

29

19

16

20

21

13

16

54

% Better % Worse% Same


17

Comments about local area

Q Why do you say the local area has got worse?


Most frequent responses: Environment (17%) Crime and safety (14%)Transport (12)

Q Why do you say the local area has got better?Most frequent responses: Community (5%)

Environment (3%)Local amenities and facilities (3%)

Further responses: Children/young people (12%)Housing and business development (8%)Local amenities and facilities (2%) Community (1%)Other negative comments (5%)

Further responses: Housing and business development (2%)Crime and safety (2%)Other positive comments (5%)

18

18%

32%26%

14%9%

2%

Agree%

Disagree%

Gender

Male 23 45

Female 17 35

Age

16-34 9 47

35-54 19 44

55+ 29 29

Working status

Working 17 39

Not working 26 40

Influence over decision-making (1)

Strongly agree

Strongly disagree

Neither/nor

Agree

Disagree

Q To what extent do you agree with the following statements?‘I can influence decisions that affect my local area’


Not stated

19

Influence over decision-making (2)

Q To what extent do you agree with the following statement?‘I can influence decisions that affect my local area’

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

% Agree% Disagree


44

43

47

52

42

42

20

20

19

18

16

25

23

39

20

Interest in the Council and decision making

I’m not interested in what the council does, or whether they do their job

I’m not interested in what the council does as long as they do their job

Q Which of these statements below comes closest to your own attitudes towards your district and county council?

I like to know what the council is doing, but I'm happy to let them get on with their jobI would like to have more of a say in what the council does

I already work for, or am involved with, the council

Don’t know/not stated


1%

8%

50%

34%

5%

3%

1%

8%

43%

38%

4%

6%

CumbriaCarlisle

21

41%

28%

34%

37%

32%

35%

33%

Involvement with Council

Male

Female


Q Which of these statements below comes closest to your own attitudes towards your district and county council? All those agreeing with: ‘I would like to have more of a say in what the council does, and the services it provides’

Gender

Age

Working status

Working

Not working

16-34

35-54

55+

22

Q Which of these statements below comes closest to your own attitudes towards your district and county council? All those agreeing with: ‘I would like to have more of a say in what the council does, and the services it provides’

34%

38%

36%

43%

40%

37%

41%

Involvement with Council


Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

23

Part 3: Community and Safety

24

19

118

1611

108

4951

4348

5563

5564

14

Attitudes to neighbourhood

By working together people in my neighbourhood can influence decisions that affect their neighbourhood

% Agree

I trust many or most of the people locally

I feel I belong to my local area

% Disagree

In my local area people from different backgrounds get on well together (e.g. race, disability, social group)

Q To what extent do you agree with the following statements?

Cumbria

Carlisle


Cumbria

Carlisle

Cumbria

Carlisle

Cumbria

Carlisle

25

38%

34%

8%

12%

7%

Time spent on voluntary work

Less than 2 hours

2-5 hours

Q If you have volunteered during the last year, roughly how many total hours have you volunteered, on average, per week?

6-9 hours

10-13 hours

14 hours plus

Base: All those who say they have volunteered in the last year (117)

‘Volunteered during the past year’

Yes 30%

No 68%

26

49

46

57

53

34

37

35

48

51

41

44

62

60

61

Fear of crime

% Not worried % Worried

Q How worried are you about being a victim of any type of crime in your local area?


Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

27

14%

12%

13%

16%

10%

7%

11%

Having been a victim of crime

Q Have you been a victim of any type of crime in the past 12 months?

% ‘Yes’


Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

28

Q How safe or unsafe do you feel in your local area, i.e. the area within 15-20 minutes of your home?

28%

86%

91%

95%

Cumbria%

55

94

95

92

Perceptions of safety in local area (1)

Outdoors after dark

±% Net safe

Indoors after dark

Outdoors during the day

Indoors during the day


29

28%

55%

61%

50%

53%

67%

74%

Perceptions of safety in local area (2)

Q How safe or unsafe do you feel in your local area, i.e. the area within 15-20 minutes of your home?


Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

±% Net safe outdoors after dark

30

Change in local area with regard to crime and safety

Q In terms of crime and safety, do you feel in the last 3 years your local area has got better, worse or stayed the same?

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

6

5

7

7

6

2

3

67

67

64

62

72

74

20

17

16

19

22

16

12

63

% Better % Worse% Same


31

Anti-social behaviour (1)

Q How much of a problem do you feel that the following are in your local area?

31

32

38

33

35

41

66

28

35

30

19

14

32

10

32

23

20

17

15

10

28

% Not a problem % A serious problem% A minor problem

Base: 362 Carlisle residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

Deliberate rubbish/wheelie bin fires

Parents not taking responsibility for the behaviour of their children

People not treating other people with respect and consideration

People dealing drugs

Teenagers hanging around on the streets

People using drugs

People being drunk or rowdy in public places

32

Anti-social behaviour (2)

Q How much of a problem do you feel that the following are in your local area?

55

60

62

54

59

73

27

24

10

24

24

6

9

6

4

3

3

9Noisy neighbours or loud parties

People sleeping rough on the streets/other public places

Abandoned or burnt-out cars

Crimes against your property

Door step crimes

People being attacked because of skin colour, ethnic origin or religion



33

2

2

2

2

1

3

3

18

20

21

16

20

21

22

32

35

45

34

34

38

32

27

26

26

34

26

20

17

15

16

10

11

17

17

36

Tackling anti-social behaviour

% Not very well informed

% Don’t know/ not stated

% Not well informed at all

% Very well informed

% Fairly well informed

Q How well informed do you feel about what is being done to tackle anti-social behaviour in your local area?


Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

34

1

1

1

3

2

1

2

26

28

29

29

31

31

28

35

35

35

31

29

26

17

13

13

15

14

12

9

21

25

22

19

22

26

36

32

Effectiveness of the criminal justice system

% Not very effective

% Don’t know/ not stated

% Not at all effective

% Very effective

% Fairly effective

Q How effective do you feel the criminal justice system in Cumbria is in bringing offenders to justice?

Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland


35

Part 4: Environment, Local Services and Transport

36

Environmental issues (1)

Q How big a problem do you think the following environmental issues are in your local area?

23

21

27

33

37

45

50

45

44

40

26

23

17

14

25Dog fouling

Rubbish and litter lying around

Roads and footpaths in poor condition

Pavements blocked by parked cars

Vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property or vehicles



37

Environmental issues (2)

Q How big a problem do you think the following environmental issues are in your local area?

43

48

52

63

62

37

28

20

16

20

13

6

6

5

9

Noise pollution

State of the local river/stream

Neglected or derelict buildings or land

Air quality and traffic pollution

The appearance or location of new developments



38

7

13

18

23

9

27

19

11

2

85

81

73

69

64

64

54

48

48

48

10

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities (all residents) (1)

% Satisfied % Dissatisfied

Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area? ±% Net

Carlisle±% Net Cumbria

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 362 Carlisle residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

Appearance of streets etc

Libraries

Hospitals

GPs

Number of parks/green spaces

Quality of parks/green spaces

75

74

61

51

41

55

27

30

36

46

70

70

61

55

40

66

14

30

38

52

Local bus services

Local primary schools

Opportunities for adult education

Leisure facilities for adults

39

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities (all residents) (2)

Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area? ±% Net

Carlisle±% Net Cumbria

1

36

20

17

8

32

26

7

47

46

43

42

42

42

28

26

23

41

% Satisfied % Dissatisfied

Children’s playgrounds/play areas

Public toilets

Local train services

Local secondary schools

Leisure facs. for young people

6

45

7

22

25

34

-4

*

16

-4

50

-8

31

29

40

-13

2

24

Suitable housing

Social services

Fire/rescue services

Dentists

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 362 Carlisle residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

40

8

9

12

13

10

18

21

88

88

83

82

82

80

77

76

10

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (1)

Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area?

Base: All users. Base sizes in brackets above. * Small base size

±% Net Carlisle

±% Net Cumbria% Satisfied % Dissatisfied

Libraries (191) 75 84

Fire/rescue services (14)* 70 86

Hospitals (238) 55 64

GPs (326) 78 73Number of parks/green spaces (230) 80 80

Quality of parks/green spaces (230) 69 72

Opportunities for adult education (51) 69 55

Leisure facs. for adults (118) 59 56

41

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (2)

Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area?

Base: All users. Base sizes in brackets above. * Small base size

26

21

30

39

37

41

70

70

67

63

58

57

49

27

±% Net Carlisle

±% Net Cumbria% Satisfied % Dissatisfied

Children’s playgrounds/ play areas (95)

Bus services (208)

Leisure facilities for young people (55)

42 34

Public toilets (140) 8 -5

33 26

20 50

Dentists (258) 19 11

Social services (46)* 46 64

Train services (116) 44 50

42

65

137

107

127

7378

7582

6771

7174

16

1110

2321

1619

18

Forms of transport

Q Please list your main form of transport for different journeys on a typical weekday:

Pedestrian/cyclistCar/motorbikePublic transport

Work

Leisure

Medical/ clinic

Shopping

Carlisle (205)

Cumbria (1,178)

Carlisle (347)

Cumbria (2,202)

Carlisle (308)

Cumbria (1,861)

Carlisle (309)

Cumbria (1,830)

Base: All those who travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

43

38%

45% 45%

57%

24%

17%21%

11%15%

12%

36%

15%

27%

10%15% 13%

Work (202)

Shopping (336)

Leisure (284)

Medical/clinic (286)

Distances travelled

Q Please list how many miles you travel for different journeys on a typical weekday:

5-8 miles3-4 milesUnder 3 miles

Base: All those who stated how far they travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

More than 8 miles

44

22%

3%

12% 11%

41%

31%

40%42%

34%

9%

3% 3% 4%1%

4% 3% 2%

30%

25%

38%

15%

11%15%

1%

Work (278)

Shopping (346)

Leisure (310)

Medical/clinic (321)

Time travelled

Q Please list how much time it takes you to travel for different journeys on a typical weekday:

15-29 mins>15 minsNone

Base: All those who stated how far they travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

30-59 mins 1-2 hours <2 hours

45

Part 5: Health and Well-being

46

17

20

20

15

20

19

26

60

57

58

54

51

65

57

17

15

22

19

13

12

4

3

3

6

2

1

1

1

16

Happiness

% Neither/nor % Very unhappy% Unhappy% Very happy % Happy

Q Taking all things together, would you say in general you are…?


Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

47

22

22

20

21

23

24

25

38

42

46

40

40

50

40

28

24

29

23

21

24

7

6

6

7

7

4

6

2

1

2

2

1

1

1

25

Health

% Fair % Very bad% Bad% Very good % Good

Q Over the last 12 months, would you say that on the whole your health has been…


Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

48

74

87

88

21

22

9

9

75

Disability

Carlisle

Cumbria

Q Do you have any long term illness, health problem or disability which limits your daily activities or the work you can do?

Q Do you think of yourself as a disabled person?


% Yes % No

Carlisle

Cumbria

Long term illness, health problem or disability

Think of yourself as a disabled person

49

40%

33%

31%

38%

33%

27%

27%

Smoking

Q Do you smoke cigarettes at all nowadays?

% ‘Yes’

Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Base: All who have ever smoked cigarettes, cigars or other tobacco products: 1,038 Cumbria; 173 Carlisle; 179 Allerdale; 167 Barrow; 148 Copeland; 205 Eden; 166 South Lakeland

50

Q On a typical day, how many portions of fruit and vegetables do you eat?

Diet

61%

71%

69%

71%

76%

66%

68%

36%

27%

28%

26%

22%

27%

31%

5+Less than 4


Carlisle

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

51

Q In an average week, how many units of alcohol do you drink?

Alcohol consumption

15%

5%

Male (Drink more than 21 units per week)

Female (Drink more than 14 units per week)


52

31%

23%

28%

10%

2%

4%

Moderate exercise

Q How often do you take moderate exercise?

1-3 times a week

Every day

4-6 times a week

Never

29

3

7

32

21

4

Cumbria%

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

Less than once a month

More than once a month, but less than once a week

53

3%

9%

31%

20%

13%

21%

Vigorous exercise

Q How often do you take vigorous exercise?

1-3 times a week

Every day

4-6 times a week

Never

32

11

18

4

10

22

Cumbria%

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

Less than once a month

More than once a month, but less than once a week

54

Q How much do you weigh?Q How tall are you?

BMI

25.6

25.7

26.6

26.7

26.1

25.9

26.0

24.1

24.2

24.7

25.1

25.4

24.7

25.1

FemaleMale

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Mean

Base: All except pregnant women: 2,125 Cumbria; 361 Carlisle; 372 Allerdale; 312 Barrow; 324 Copeland; 387 Eden; 369 South Lakeland

NB: Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated by dividing weight (in kg) by height (in metres) squared. Those with a BMI of 30 or more are classified as obese.

55

8%

10%

9%

13%

12%

10%

8%

Obesity

% Obese

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Base: All except pregnant women: 2,125 Cumbria; 361 Carlisle; 372 Allerdale; 312 Barrow; 324 Copeland; 387 Eden; 369 South Lakeland

Q How much do you weigh?Q How tall are you?

NB: Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated by dividing weight (in kg) by height (in metres) squared. Those with a BMI of 30 or more are classified as obese.

56

Q Which of the following best describes your sexuality?

Sexuality

85%

18%

17%

17%

13%

23%

17%

14%

78%

80%

79%

85%

74%

80%

1%

3%

3%

5%

3%

3%

2%

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland


Not heterosexualHeterosexual Not stated/prefer not to say

Documents

Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006 Carlisle District Report