Key Findings from the 2008/9 Place Survey

Purpose of the Place Survey Captures local people’s views,

experiences and perceptions about the local area and public services

Tracks people’s changing perceptions over time

Measures 18 of the citizen perspective national indicators

Improve outcomes for local people

Place Survey - methodology Postal survey of 4019 randomly selected

addresses from Post Office small users address file (PAF)

Questionnaires mailed out October to December 2008

Data weighted by AC for sex, age and ethnicity to known profile of the city and adjusted for household size

Results are based on 1520 completed questionnaires, a response rate of 38%

Local Area Four in five (80%) satisfied with their local area

as a place to live (NI 5). This is above the Tyne and Wear average (78%) and 2006/7 BVPI Survey (76%)

12% considered local area getting better and 15% getting worse a reduction from a quarter in 2006/7 BVPI survey

86% satisfied with their home as a place to live and 8% dissatisfied. Tyne and Wear average 87% satisfied and 7% dissatisfied

Two thirds satisfied with choice of housing in local area and 14% dissatisfied

Quality of Life prioritiesPlace Survey 2008/9

Developing Priorities for Quality of Life

Race relations

Sports & leisure facil.

Level of pollutionWages & cost of living

Community activitiesJob prospects

Cultural facilities

Access to nature

Transport congestion

Facilities for young children

Educationprovision

Parks & open spaces

Roads & pavement repairs

Activities for teenagers

Affordable decent housing

Shoppingfacilities

Health services

Public transport

Clean streets

Level of crime

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

% Importance generally

% N

eeds

impr

ovin

g

Quality of Life 80% were satisfied with their life as a

whole nowadays and 8% were dissatisfied

42% agreed and 16% disagreed that local public services are doing more these days to help people lead healthier lives

72% thought their health was good/very good and 6% thought it was bad/very bad

Anti-social behaviours a problem

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

teenagers hangingaround

vandalism graffitiother damage

drug use anddealing

drunk and rowdybehavour

2006/72007/82008/9

Respect and Consideration Over a third, 36% considered there was to

some extent/a great deal, a problem with people not treating one another with respect and consideration(NI 23) compared with 53% in 2006/7

32% agreed and 50% disagreed that in the local area parents take enough responsibility for their children. (Tyne and Wear average 27% agreed)

75% considered they were treated with respect most/all of the time by local public services and only 5% said rarely/never

Feeling safe

0102030405060708090

outside local areaafter dark

outside city afterdark

outside city duringday

2006/72007/82008/9

Dealing with anti-social behaviour 28% agree and 29% disagree that the

police and other public services seek people’s views about these issues in local area (Tyne and Wear average 30%)

30% agree and 20% disagree that the police and other public services are successfully dealing with these issues (Tyne and Wear average 31%)

Community Cohesion 73% agree local area is a place where

people from different backgrounds get on well (NI 1 LAA) compared to 76% 2006/7 BVPI Survey

49% of residents feel that they belong to their neighbourhood (NI 2) which is well below the Tyne and Wear average of 60%

Information and decision making 32% considered they can influence

decision making locally (NI 4) compared to 39% 2006/7 BVPI Survey

A quarter would like to be more involved in decision making whilst 63% stated it depended on the issue

42% felt informed about local public services and 58% not very well/not at all informed

Views about Local Public Services

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Safercleaner and greener

promoting interests

acting on concerns

fair treatment

great deal/to some extent

Informed about local public services 43% informed about the standard of service to

expect, 57% not informed

42% informed about performance, 58% not informed

37% informed about how to complain, 63% not informed

20% informed about what to do in the event of a large scale emergency, 65% not informed

Local Public Services - satisfaction

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

satisfieddissatisfiednot used

Newcastle compared with Tyne and Wear Newcastle performing well compared to Tyne

and Wear overall. Above average on 10 of the 18 national indicators and highest on six indicators

Newcastle above the Tyne and Wear average in relation to able to influence decisions locally, the proportion who volunteer satisfaction with local area and overall health and well being

Newcastle is below average in relation to people feeling they belong to neighbourhood and support for elderly people

Key messages (1) Improved perceptions about crime and

anti-social behaviour but level of crime remains most important in making somewhere a good place to live, followed by keeping the streets clean

Activities for teenagers considered most in need of improving closely followed by road and pavement maintenance and traffic congestion

Key messages (2) Rating of the local area is positive and improving Public services viewed fairly positive in

comparison to elsewhereHowever…… Feeling informed, influencing decisions, seeking

out views and acting on concerns, clearly scope for improvement

Need to keep an eye on drunk and rowdy behaviour being a problem where limited change evident compared to 2006/7 but drop in other anti-social behaviours considered a problem