Satisfaction levels with Stroud District Council remain high, an independently conducted survey has found.
For the last 12 years, the council has commissioned a survey with residents and businesses, to gather feedback on the council’s priorities and services that the council provides.
The 2022 survey consisted of 500 ten-minute telephone interviews with residents and 200 interviews with businesses, asking for their views on local priorities, community safety, fees and charges raised by the council, and satisfaction levels with the council’s activities.
The residents survey found:
- 94% are satisfied with their local area as a place to live (94% in 2021).
- 77% are satisfied with the way SDC runs things (75% in 2021)
- 66% agree that services have been maintained to a good standard (68% in 2021).
- 78% agreed that people in their local area pull together to improve the local area (65% in 2021).
- 64% are satisfied that SDC is working to improve the environment (65% in 2021).
- 62% agree that they get value for money from SDC (63% in 2021).
- 62% said that they speak positively about the council – 4% without being asked, 58% when asked.
- 72% said that they either had a great deal (12%) or a fair amount (60%) of trust for the council.
This year, new questions were included asking for residents’ views on the cost of living crisis, access to services, and the canals which run through the Stroud district. 91% were concerned about the impact of the rising cost of living on their household, with the main concern being paying monthly bills (81%).
The business survey found:
- 95% are satisfied with their local areas as a place to do business (96% in 2021).
- 72% agree that services have been maintained to a good standard (75% in 2021).
- 70% are satisfied with the way SDC runs things (70% in 2021).
- 69% are satisfied that SDC is working to improve the environment (79% in 2021).
- 66% agree that they get value for money from SDC (63% in 2021).
- 63% agree that SDC is business like and efficient (63% in 2021).
Regulatory support (38%) followed by waste and recycling (29%) and roads and highways (29%) were considered the most important services to businesses.
Although overall satisfaction with the council and living in the Stroud district remains high, the results have highlighted some areas for Stroud District Council to focus on and consider how improvements can be made. The results will be used to help inform the way the council works and how best to communicate with local residents and communities, and in the summer the council will publish a report outlining how the feedback gathered has been listened to and used.
“The results of this survey provide an important check for us as a council to ensure that we are providing the right services in the right way,” said Council Leader, Catherine Braun. “We strive to do better of course, but I am very pleased that the results show that most of our residents and businesses are satisfied with what we are doing.”
Deputy Leader Natalie Bennett added: “The Council Plan maps out the council’s priorities for the longer term and these results will help us achieve those priorities, as well as align spending and setting council tax for the coming year.”
The full survey results can be viewed at https://www.stroud.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/about-the-council/have-your-say/consultations/annual-satisfaction-and-budget-survey-2022
More information on how Stroud District Council can support residents with the cost of living is available at www.stroud.gov.uk/costofliving
