Stroud District Council Budget Consultation 2010 Summary of Findings November 2010

Stroud District CouncilBudget Consultation 2010

Summary of Findings

November 2010

Background

• Stroud District Council again commissioned research primarily designed to inform the authority’s decisions on Council Tax and budget priority setting for the forthcoming year

– this year, with residents and businesses

• The research was carried out by means of a telephone survey– with a random selection of 300 residents

– and with a random selection of 200 local businesses

• The telephone interview contained questions about– perceived performance of the Council and its services – policy priorities– budget priorities }– Council Tax options } only with residents– recycling– environmental health } only with businesses

RESIDENT SURVEY

Perceived performance

General attitudes 1• The majority of residents continue to feel satisfied with the way SDC runs things and believe that the

Council is business-like and efficient

60%63%

48% 49%

73%

-9% -11% -13%-18%

-8%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

I believe that StroudDistrict Council is

businesslike & efficient

Overall, I am satisfied withthe way Stroud District

Council runs things

Overall, the servicesprovided by Stroud District

Council have improvedover the last few years

I think that we get valuefor money from Stroud

District Council

Overall, I am satisfied thatStroud District Council isworking to improve the

environment

% disagree (strongly)

% agree (strongly)

General attitudes 2• Although not universal, there have been some very slight improvements this year

60%63%

48% 49%

73%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

I believe that StroudDistrict Council is

businesslike & efficient

Overall, I am satisfiedwith the way StroudDistrict Council runs

things

Overall, the servicesprovided by Stroud

District Council haveimproved over the last

few years

I think that we get valuefor money from Stroud

District Council

Overall, I am satisfiedthat Stroud District

Council is working toimprove the environment

2010 2009 2008

Mandatory services 1• All mandatory services are perceived to perform reasonably well …

-12% -10%-16%

-23%-18%

-28% -32%

-19%

43%47%

49%

68%

76%

57%54% 53%

49% 48%

41%40%

-26%

-8%-15%

-10%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Refusecollection

Pest control Licensing Housingbenefit

administration

Food safety,health & safety

Streetcleaning

Pollutioncontrol

Parkingenforcement

SocialHousing

Planning/buildingcontrol

Homeless-ness

Dog warden &animal welfare

(very) good (very) poor

Mandatory services 2• … with improvements in seven of these 12 services

76%

68%

57%

54%

53%

49%

49%

48%

47%

43%

41%

40%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Refuse collection

Pest control

Licensing

Housing benefit administration

Food safety, health & safety

Street cleaning

Pollution control

Parking enforcement

Social Housing

Planning and building control

Homelessness

Dog warden & animal welfare

2010 (very) good

2009 (very) good

2008 (very) good

Discretionary services 1• The top-performing discretionary services perform really well …

-3% -6%-15%

-9% -10%-18%

55%56%

66%

79%

85%

77%74%

71%70%

61%

-11%-6%

-10%-8%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Concessionarytravel tokens

Museum Services tocontact the

Council

Dursleyswimming pool

StroudSubscription

Rooms

Councilpublicity

Recycling &composting

Joint-usesports centres

in local schools

Sport andleisure services

Car parks


Discretionary services 2• … and there are some real signs of improvement in some areas

85%

79%

77%

74%

71%

70%

66%

61%

56%

55%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Concessionary travel tokens (fares)

Museum

Services to contact the Council

Dursley swimming pool

Stroud Subscription Rooms

Council publicity

Recycling & composting

Joint-use sports centres in local schools

Sport and leisure services

Car parks

2010 (very) good

2009 (very) good

2008 (very) good

Discretionary services 3• Those services at the bottom of the scale are not well-perceived at all …

-17%-23%

-35%

-24% -27%

30%

38%

53%54%52%

50%47%

43%

34%

-17%-18% -20%-15%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Crimeprevention

Energy advice Stratford parkleisure centre

Neighbourhoodwardens

Grants tovoluntary &community

groups

Tourismpromotion

Publicconveniences

Economicrecovery anddevelopment

Town-centreimprovements


Discretionary services 4• … although there are some improved perceptions here too

54%

53%

52%

50%

47%

43%

38%

34%

30%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Crime prevention

Energy advice

Stratford park leisure centre

Neighbourhood wardens

Grants to voluntary & community groups

Tourism promotion

Public conveniences

Economic recovery and development

Town-centre improvements

2010 (very) good

2009 (very) good

2008 (very) good

Budget priorities

Spending cuts – mandatory services 1

• Despite the publicity about the Government’s finances, there is no great appetite to see cuts amongst most mandatory services …

53%

73%

77%

48%

40%

48%

74%

67%

81%

93%

68%

83%

36%

21%

11%

35%

43%

45%

19%

28%

11%

5%

18%

14%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%



Homelessness


Licensing

Parking enforcement

Pest control


Pollution control

Refuse collection

Social Housing

Street cleaning

Maintain spending

Spend less

Don't know

Spending cuts – mandatory services 2

• … although the degree of acceptance of cuts is far higher than it was last year

% spend less45%

43%

36%

35%

28%

21%

19%

18%

14%

11%

11%

5%

21%

20%

13%

12%

13%

15%

8%

4%

3%

2%

5%

2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Parking enforcement

Licensing





Pest control

Social Housing

Street cleaning

Homelessness

Pollution control

Refuse collection

2010

2009

Spending cuts – discretionary services 1• Amongst discretionary services, very few people want any of the services to cease …

12%

10%

10%

8%

7%

6%

5%

5%

3%

3%

3%

3%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

1%

1%

0%

0% 10% 20% 30%

Concessionary travel tokens

Council publicity

Energy advice


Discretionary BRR to qualifying organisations

Tourism promotion

Car parks



Grants to voluntary and community groups

Museum

Stratford Park leisure centre


Public conveniences

Sports and leisure services



Crime prevention

Recycling and composting


Spending cuts – discretionary services 2

• … and the appetite to accept spending cuts is quite low too …

70%

62%

38%

89%

58%

66%

67%

45%

57%

76%

61%

57%

84%

90%

74%

69%

67%

55%

51%

72%

21%

22%

49%

6%

21%

11%

16%

41%

31%

16%

27%

26%

11%

7%

21%

26%

18%

24%

34%

23%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Car parks


Council publicity

Crime prevention




Energy advice



Museum


Public conveniences






Tourism promotion


Maintain spending

Spend less

Spending cuts – discretionary services 3• … although it is far higher than in 2009

% spend less

49%

41%

34%

31%

27%

26%

26%

24%

23%

22%

21%

21%

21%

18%

16%

16%

11%

11%

7%

6%

13%

12%

9%

10%

8%

4%

8%

8%

8%

6%

4%

3%

2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Council publicity

Energy advice

Tourism promotion


Museum






Car parks







Public conveniences


Crime prevention

2010

2009

Other value-for-money areas

With regards to the Dursley Swimming Pool, I think the Council has at its disposal an excellent

facility, but they do not use it as much as they could. They could offer lessons in there, for which they could charge and get the money

If the council don't have any money then they should keep all the money

that they have got instead of spending it on improvements

Recycling - cardboard doesn't get collected and it means people have to travel to get rid

of it. This is the same with garden waste. Lots of people can't manage this, so it should be

recycled at the door.

The council can get rid of departments within the council that are not needed, as

this wastes money which is already limited within the council.

• Where do they believe the Council can deliver improvements with less money?– examples included greater efficiencies internally and generating greater use of

facilities

– but a lot of people just wanted more spending (in their favourite area)

Council Tax and Corporate priorities

Council Tax options

• Given the findings that relate to services, it’s not surprising to see a majority in favour of a small increase in Council Tax

56%

4% 2%

38%

the Government's proposal to freeze Council Tax

a small increase in the level of Council Tax in line with inflation

neither of these

don't know

Last year, 11% wanted a freeze in CT

I believe there should be a reduction in council tax. I

took a 20% pay cut two years ago and since then

council tax has not got any less

A large increase in council tax, I would prefer to pay more for services in order

to keep them going

CDP 2010-14• Of the four CDP priorities, providing value for money is the most important by far

-11%

59%64% 62%

80%

-16%

-3%-10%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Helping local people and businessesrecover from the recession and grow the

local economy

Help the community minimise itscarbon footprint, adapt to climate

change, recycle more and send as littlewaste to landfill as possible

Providing affordable and decenthousing

Provide value for money to localtaxpayers and high quality services

% (very) low priority

% (very) high priority

70% in 2009

Other priorities

• When asked what other priorities the Council should be focusing on, the answers were varied and often unhelpful

For the town to attract people to visit there should be adequate car parking,

which there is not at this moment in time

In the case of single young people that are trying to settle down and

rent a small property, maybe a flat or a bedsit, I think the Council

could try and help them with the Council Tax. I do not think it is

fair to expect them to pay the full of amount

The rubbish collection isn't very good at all. Plus her streetlights go on and off during the course of the

night

They should really focus on road maintenance and mending

I think the Council should make sure that the canal is finished and well

maintained, and also try and promote the image of the town in connection

with it

Yes the council should stop wasting money as they have recently spent a lot of money on changing the refuse

collection service so that it was more cost efficient. This did not happen in the end and it ended up costing more

money to change the service back

More promotion of the use of solar panels

Recycling

Recycling 1

• The clear majority of residents believe that they recycle everything they can

63%

34%

2%

I recycle everything that can be recycled

I recycle a lot, but not everything that can be

I recycle sometimes

I do not recycle

don't know

Recycling 2• If the Council were to extend its recycling service, the priorities are seen to be

plastic (trays, tubs, yoghurt pots) and card – only food isn’t a priority for the majority

-7%

-23%

87%

79%

70%

44%

56%

-4%

-33%

-14%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Card Plastic Tetra packs Food waste Green/garden waste



Help to recycle more

• Ideas put forward included– bigger recycling bins– more doorstep collections

(reduces their carbon footprint)– more, and better, information

Provide a collection for cardboard and food waste

Yes, they should take the garden waste and use it for compost, not just for landfill. I used to put the garden waste in the green bag near the landfill waste, but I

stopped doing that after I've seen that they put everything together.

The council should provide a more detailed list of what can and cannot

be recycled as at the moment it is very vague.

The Council should give directives to local supermarkets and not allow them to

sell things packed in plastic, but in cardboard or paper. The issue should be

tackled from the producers.

More to collected at the door instead of having to take stuff like cardboard into Stroud. Also they

don't recycle the plastic trays that tomatoes come in.

BUSINESS SURVEY

Perceived performance

General attitudes 1• As in previous years, businesses are not very positive about SDC across the range of measures …

53%

42%

36%

30%

54%

25%

-11%

-23% -23%

-36%

-17%

-36%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


things

I believe that StroudDistrict Council isbusinesslike and

efficient



few years

I think that we getvalue for money from

Stroud District Council

Overall, I am satisifedthe Stroud District

Council is improvingthe local environment


Council is helping witheconomic recovery

locally

% disagree (strongly)

% agree (strongly)

General attitudes 2• … but whilst there have been some very slight improvements since 2008 …

53%

42%

36%

30%

54%

25%

40% 40% 40%

23%

45%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%


things


efficient



few years





Overall, I am satisifedthe Stroud DistrictCouncil is helping

with economicrecovery locally

% agree (strongly) 2010

% agree (strongly) 2008

General attitudes 3• … it remains the case that businesses are far less positive about the Council

than residents

53%

42%

36%

30%

54%

25%

60%63%

48% 49%

73%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%


things


efficient



few years





Overall, I am satisifedthe Stroud DistrictCouncil is helping

with economicrecovery locally

% agree (strongly) BUSINESS

% agree (strongly) RESIDENT

Mandatory services 1• All mandatory services are perceived to perform reasonably well …

36%

-5%-14%

-19% -20%

-41%

-29% -32% -30%-36%

46%47%

55%

68%

81%

63% 62%59%

56%

51%

44%40%

-19%-12%

-24%-20%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Food Safety Licensing Pest control Refusecollection

Health andSafety

Homelessness

Streetcleaning

Pollutioncontrol

Dog wardenand animal

welfare

Planning &buildingcontrol

Parkingenforcement

SocialHousing

Housingbenefit

administration

% (very) good % (very) poor

Mandatory services 2• … with some major perceived improvements in services since 2008

81%

68%

63%

62%

59%

56%

55%

51%

47%

46%

44%

40%

36%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Food Safety

Licensing

Pest control

Refuse collection

Health and Safety

Home lessness

Street cleaning

Pollution control

Dog warden and animal welfare

Planning & building control

Parking enforcement

Social Housing


% (very) good 2010

% (very) good 2008

Note, excludes those who “don’t know”

Discretionary services 1• The top-performing discretionary services perform really well too …

-8%-15% -20%

-28% -26%-18%

56%57%60%

70%

75%

64%62% 62% 61% 59%

-15%-12%

-25%

-11%

-60%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Dursleyswimming pool

Services tocontact the

Council

Museum DiscretionaryBRR to

qualifyingorganisations

Joint-usesports centres

in local schools

StroudSubscription

Rooms

Concessionarytravel tokens

Neighbourhoodwardens

Recycling andcomposting

Sport andleisure services


Discretionary services 2• But those services at the bottom of the scale are not well-perceived at all

-21%-32%

-44%-32%

-48% -50%

24%26%

30%

51%55%

47% 47% 47%

33%

27%

-42%

-26%-32%-32%

-60%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Stratford Parkleisure centre

Car parks Grants tovoluntary &community

groups

Crimeprevention

Councilpublicity

Publicconveniences

Town-centreimprovements

TourismPromotion

Economicrecovery &

development

Energy advice


Discretionary services 2• But there are some real signs of improvement since 2008

75%

70%

64%

62%

62%

61%

60%

59%

57%

56%

55%

51%

47%

47%

47%

33%

30%

27%

26%

24%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%



Museum







Sport and leisure services


Car parks

Grants to voluntary & community groups

Crime prevention

Council publicity

Public conveniences


Tourism Promotion

Economic recovery & development

Energy advice

% (very) good 2010

% (very) good 2008

Corporate priorities

-5%

66%

91%

56%

83%

-12%-4%

-16%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Helping local people and businessrecover from the recession and grow the

local economy

Helping the community minimise itscarbon footprint, adapt to climate

change, recycle more and send as littlewaste to landfill as possible


Providing value for money to localtaxpayers and high quality services



CDP 2010-14 1• Of the four CDP priorities, recessionary recovery is the most important by far …

66% in 2009

CDP 2010-14 2• … very much more so amongst businesses than amongst residents

91%

66%

56%

83%

64%

59%62%

80%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Helping local people andbusiness recover from the

recession and grow the localeconomy

Helping the community minimiseits carbon footprint, adapt to

climate change, recycle more andsend as little waste to landfill as

possible


Providing value for money tolocal taxpayers and high quality

services

% (very) high priority BUSINESS

% (very) high priority RESIDENT

Economic recovery• The Council could help by

– examining (reducing) business rates– information and advice– internal cost reduction– buying local, etc

They could provide more information about what they do and what services they

offer and how they might help us

Look at the supply chain and make sure they're using local companies

where possible

By keeping all their costs as low as possible. There should be strict

controls for the amount of money that they spend on their staff. They

should not be over-staffed just as we cannot be in industry. And I mean

that right from the top to the bottom.

I don't know if they can; Council staff and their offices have no

idea what running a business is about, they don't look at medium sized businesses, they only have

an awareness of small shops etc., they have no idea about industry.

I know they linked up with Business Link a few years ago as a service and it provided valuable advice and consultation which was really helpful for me as a

business. If I hadn't had got that advice I think I'd have probably gone bankrupt in this recession

By keeping business rates to a minimum and not putting red tape in the way of businesses

Other findings

Environmental health

• One quarter of businesses (26%) have had some form of contact with SDC’s environmental health service

– of these, almost everyone was treated fairly and found the staff helpful

Treated fairly?

98%

2%

yesno

Found the staff helpful

88%

12%

yesno

Waste & recycling 1• There appear to be fewer businesses this year who are aware of their

responsibilities and of local companies that recycle …

% saying 'yes'

94%

92%

98%

97%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

aware of Duty of Careresponsibilities regarding

waste

aware of local commercialcompanies that recycle

waste

yes, 2010yes, 2008

Waste & recycling 2

• … but the number of businesses that do recycle their waste has increased …

88%

85%

12%

15%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2010

2008

yes

no

Not statistically significant

Waste & recycling 3

• … and there is also greater recycling activity amongst all categories of waste

82%

84%

51%

62%

40%

39%

77%

75%

42%

48%

17%

13%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

paper

cardboard

glass bottles & jars

plastic

electrical items

other types of waste

2010

2008

Metal (10%), oil (5%) batteries (4%), Print cartridges (3%), wood (3%), etc

www.researchbox.co.uk

Documents

Stroud District Council Budget Consultation 2010 Summary of Findings November 2010