Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006 Eden District Report

Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006

Eden 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 Eden and in Cumbria as a whole. Key factors underlying these differences are likely to be related to the fact that the Eden district is relatively less economically deprived than some other parts of the County, particularly urban areas.

Levels of satisfaction with the local area are high in Eden, as they are in Cumbria overall, with 93% of residents satisfied. Eden residents are less likely than those Cumbria-wide to say that their local area has got worse in recent years.

Eden residents score more highly on many health indicators - happiness, state of health and smoking – than do residents throughout the County.

4

Key findings (2) – crime and safety

Residents perceive Eden as a relatively safe place to live and fear of crime is lower in Eden than in Cumbria overall. 16% of Eden 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 Eden residents, as it is for Cumbria residents generally – and three in five Eden residents do not feel well informed about what is being done to combat it.

5

Key findings (3) - participation

An even stronger sense of community cohesion is evident in Eden than in Cumbria generally – three quarters of residents say they trust most people locally and feel they belong to their community, compared with two thirds in Cumbria overall. Half of residents believe people in their neighbourhood are able to influence local decision-making by working together, and a quarter believe they personally can influence it.

Many Eden residents are keen to have more of a say in Council decisions, with two in five 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.

Levels of volunteering in Eden are in line with Cumbria overall in being above the national average, with a third saying they have volunteered in the last twelve months, compared to national survey data showing around a quarter of people volunteering nationally (Ipsos MORI Social Issues Omnibus, 2006).

6

Key findings (4) - liveability

In terms of what makes an area a good place to live, access to nature is seen as more important in Eden than in Cumbria overall, while clean streets are seen as less important. These differences are likely to reflect the rural nature of the district compared with some districts elsewhere in the County.

Liveability issues such as clean streets are however still an important driver of Eden residents’ satisfaction with the local area – as they are for Cumbria residents overall. Dog fouling, litter and roads and pavements being in poor condition are particular concerns for Eden residents – the Council being seen to address these concerns would be likely to aid in driving up satisfaction with Eden as a place to live.

7

Key findings (5) – service delivery

Eden residents’ top priorities for service delivery are affordable decent housing, activities for teenagers and public transport.

While housing, public transport and wage levels and the cost of living are cited by a higher proportion of Eden residents as in need of improvement than by residents in Cumbria overall, other issues – road and pavement repairs, clean streets, and traffic congestion - are by contrast seen as less in need of improvement.

Broadly speaking, Eden residents who use local services and facilities think service delivery in the local area is good. User satisfaction with a number of local services and facilities – libraries, GPs, the amount and quality of parks and green spaces, local train services and public toilets - is higher in Eden than it is in Cumbria overall.

While users of local services in Eden are more satisfied with many local services than are users in Cumbria generally, satisfaction with bus services and leisure facilities for young people is lower in Eden than in Cumbria overall.

8

Interpretation of the data

A sample, not the entire population of Eden, 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 Eden

10

Quality of life (1)

24%

23%

23%

21%24%

22%

57%

54%

47%

41%

41%

31%

22%

35%

55%

50%

48%

39%

31%

34%

CumbriaEden

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; 389 Eden residents

Affordable decent housing

The level of crime

Health services

Education provision

Job prospects

Clean streets

Access to nature

Wage levels/cost of living

Shopping facilities

Public transport

11

Quality of life (2)

CumbriaEden

24%

23%

23%

21%

24%

22%

66%

52%

49%

31%

20%

37%

21%

36%

26%

31%

57%

54%

47%

41%

41%

31%

22%

35%

55%

50%

48%

39%

31%

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; 389 Eden residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents


The level of crime

Health services

Education provision

Job prospects

Clean streets

Access to nature


Shopping facilities

Public transport

2003/04 Cumbria BVPI

12

Improvements to local area

CumbriaEden

19%

17%

16%

16%

19%

27%

30%

37%

28%

29%

37%

34%

28%

29%

21%

20%

52%

47%

41%

37%

31%

30%

22%

26%

38%

50%

28%

26%

34%

37%

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; 389 Eden residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents

% Top ten mentions

Activities for teenagers

Job prospects


Public transport

Level of traffic congestion

Road/pavement repairs

Clean streets


Facilities for young children

Health services

2003/04 Cumbria BVPI

13

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

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

Community activitiesCultural facilities

Education provision

Facilities for young children

Health services

Job prospects

The level of crime

Level of pollution

Level of traffic congestionParks and open spaces

Public transport

Race relations

Road and pavement repairs

Shopping facilities

Sports and leisure facilities

Wage levels and local cost of living

Base: 389 Eden residents

14

44%

48%

3%4%1%

Sat%

Not sat%

Eden 93 3

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?

89%

79%

84%

71%

70%

77%

86%

Satisfaction with Cumbria and districts

±% Net satisfaction

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

Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

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

4

7

5

8

10

5

7

65

73

63

54

64

69

13

19

16

20

29

21

16

74

% Better % Worse% Same


17

Comments about local areaQ Why do you say the local area has got worse?Most frequent responses: Environment (13%)

Transport (8%)Crime and safety (6%)

Q Why do you say the local area has got better?Most frequent responses: Community (7%)

Local amenities and facilities (3%) Environment (1%)

Further responses: Housing and business development (6%)Children/young people (3%)Local amenities and facilities (3%) Community (1%)Other negative comments (3%)

Further responses: Crime and safety (1%)Housing and business development (1%)Other positive comments (4%)


18

24%

29%30%

12%3%1%

Agree%

Disagree%

Gender Male 27 44 Female 23 41Age 16-34 33 48 35-54 23 39 55+ 23 42Working status Working 26 44 Not working 24 38

Influence over decision-making (1)

Strongly agreeStrongly 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

39

52

42

25

20

19

18

20

16

23

42

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%

6%

49%

37%

3%

4%

1%

8%

43%

38%

4%

6%

CumbriaEden

21

41%34%

34%37%

40%

38%35%

Involvement with Council

MaleFemale


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 statusWorkingNot working

16-3435-54

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’

37%

38%

36%

43%

34%

40%

41%

Involvement with Council


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

South Lakeland

23

Part 3: Community and Safety

24

19

58

511

68

5451

5548

7363

7564

17

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

Eden


Cumbria

Eden

Cumbria

Eden

Cumbria

Eden

25

42%

32%

11%

5%

9%

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 (162)

‘Volunteered during the past year’Yes 38%No 60%

26

49

46

57

61

53

37

62

48

51

41

35

44

60

34

Fear of crime

% Not worried % Worried

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


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

South Lakeland

27

7%

12%

13%

16%

14%

10%

11%

Having been a victim of crime

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

% ‘Yes’


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

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?

67%

95%

97%

97%

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

67%

55%

61%

50%

28%

53%

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?

±% Net safe outdoors after dark


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

South Lakeland

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

2

5

7

7

6

6

3

67

67

64

63

62

74

16

17

16

19

20

22

12

72

% 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?

46

52

50

58

52

60

71

26

34

18

29

36

29

22

11

10

9

8

5

3

10

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

Base: 389 Eden residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

Crimes against your property

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?

76

80

70

84

91

86

19

10

17

5

4

5

2

1

1

2

Noisy neighbours or loud parties

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

People sleeping rough on the streets

Abandoned or burnt-out cars

Deliberate rubbish/wheelie bin fires

Door step crimes



33

3

2

2

2

2

1

3

21

20

21

16

18

20

22

34

35

45

32

34

38

26

27

26

26

32

34

20

17

15

15

10

17

11

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?


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

South Lakeland

34

1

1

1

3

1

2

2

31

28

29

29

26

31

28

29

35

35

35

31

26

12

13

13

15

17

14

9

26

25

22

19

21

22

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?


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

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?

31

33

40

57

55

45

50

44

28

35

22

15

11

7

15


Dog fouling

Rubbish and litter lying around

Roads and footpaths in poor condition

Pavements blocked by parked cars

Noise pollution


37

Environmental issues (2)Q How big a problem do you think the following environmental

issues are in your local area?

69

69

58

64

73

19

18

34

19

17

7

5

5

4

7

Vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property or vehicles

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

718

411

161819

42

9081

757574

71565454

51

7

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

Eden±% Net Cumbria

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 389 Eden residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

Appearance of streets etc

Libraries

Fire/rescue services

Hospitals

GPsNumber of parks/green spaces

Quality of parks/green spaces

56

70

50

55

8374

63

40

66

50

55

7070

61

Local train services 34 29

Local primary schools 49 52

Leisure facilities for adults 38 30

39

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


Eden±% Net Cumbria

1316

3953

4424

761

494947

3737

342928

24

7% Satisfied % Dissatisfied

Children’s playgrounds/play areas

Public toilets

Local bus services

Local secondary schools

Opportunities for adult education

Leisure facilities for young people

30

-10

-2

42

36

5

31

-13

14

40

38

2

Suitable housing -38 -8

Social services 21 24

Dentists -17 -4

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 389 Eden residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

40

4

7

5

9

15

16

16

100

94

93

91

87

81

78

74

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (1)

% Satisfied % Dissatisfied


Eden±% Net Cumbria

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

Libraries (228)

Fire/rescue services (9)*

Hospitals (243)

GPs (361)Number of parks/green spaces (233)Quality of parks/green spaces (233)

90

100

65

86

87

78

84

86

64

73

80

72

Train services (156) 61 50

Leisure facilities for adults (141) 57 56

41

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (2)


Eden±% Net Cumbria

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

21

26

36

45

47

40

74

73

71

59

52

48

48

20% Satisfied % Dissatisfied

Children’s playgrounds/ play areas (116)

Public toilets (213)

Bus services (122)

Opportunities for adult education (69)

Leisure facilities for young people (74)

45

2

23

52

8

50

-5

34

55

26

Social services (50)* 55 64

Dentists (247) 7 11

42

45

37

27

37

7778

8382

7671

7274

16

1510

2221

2519

17

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

Eden (228)Cumbria (1,178)




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

43

24%31% 29%

48%

10% 8%14%

5%

15% 13%

64%

44%50%

20%

7%

18%

Work (212)

Shopping (359)

Leisure (306)

Medical/clinic (311)

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

20%

4%9%

14%

25%

37%

26%

49%

32%

7%5%9%8%

2%

22%

35%

27%

20%17%

20%

6%2%2%4%

Work (303)

Shopping (368)

Leisure (333)

Medical/clinic (351)

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

19

20

20

15

17

20

26

65

57

58

54

60

51

57

13

15

22

17

19

12

1

3

3

6

4

2

1

1

16

Happiness

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

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


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

South Lakeland

47

24

22

20

21

22

23

25

50

42

46

40

38

40

40

21

24

29

28

23

24

4

6

6

7

7

7

6

1

1

2

2

2

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…


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

South Lakeland

48

74

93

88

18

22

5

9

81

Disability

Eden

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

Eden

Cumbria

Long term illness, health problem or disability

Think of yourself as a disabled person

49

27%

33%

31%

38%

40%

33%

27%

Smoking

Q Do you smoke cigarettes at all nowadays?

% ‘Yes’

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

Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

South Lakeland

50

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

Diet

61%

68%

69%

71%

76%

71%

66%

36%

31%

28%

26%

22%

27%

27%

5+Less than 4


Eden

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

South Lakeland

51

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

Alcohol consumption

15%

15%

Male (Drink more than 21 units per week)

Female (Drink more than 14 units per week)


52

34%

23%

26%

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%


Less than once a month

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

53

8%

14%

38%

12%

10%

15%

Vigorous exercise

Q How often do you take vigorous exercise?

32

11

18

4

10

22

Cumbria%


1-3 times a week

Every day

4-6 times a week

Never

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

26.1

25.7

26.6

25.6

26.7

25.9

26.0

24.1

25.1

24.7

25.1

25.4

24.2

24.7

FemaleMale

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Mean

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

10%

10%

9%

13%

8%

12%

8%

Obesity

% Obese

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

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

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

56

Q Which of the following best describes your sexuality?

Sexuality

85%

17%

17%

17%

13%

18%

23%

14%

80%

80%

79%

85%

78%

74%

1%

2%

3%

5%

3%

3%

3%

Not heterosexualHeterosexual

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Not stated


Documents

Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006 Eden District Report