Overview – key findings from the 4^th Viewpoint survey 2005

 

Satisfaction with the overall standard of street cleansing had improved since 2003. 90% now rated it fair or better in their local area and 82% across the Borough.

The areas panellists rated as having the most serious litter problems were unchanged from 2003. These were (1) shopping areas/precincts, (2) footpaths, roads & backways and (3) parks & playgrounds. Dog fouling remained the aspect of street cleansing of greatest concern.

Just over half of panellists thought there weren’t enough litter bins in their area and over one third (36%), thought there weren’t enough throughout the Borough. Half of respondents said there weren’t enough dog waste bins in their local area.

 

Around 60% of panellists always or regularly received a copy of The Borough News. About 70% said they always or regularly read it. Distribution rates varied across the Borough; while nearly three quarters of panellists from Eastleigh said they always or regularly received a copy, less than half of panellists from Hamble, Bursledon & Neltey answered they always or regularly received one.

 

SHOPPING IN EASTLEIGHTOWN CENTRE

Around a third of panellists shopped in Eastleigh Town Centre weekly or more often. 12% answered they never shopped there. Two thirds said they would be encouraged to shop more often by cheaper car parking.  Around half said that the options of a new cinema, more independent shops, more car parking and a small department store would also encourage them to shop more in Eastleigh Town Centre.

 

Just over 60% thought that Eastleigh Borough Council was an efficient local authority; 6% saw us as inefficient and the remaining third either thought we were in the middle or didn’t respond to the question.

The six services with the highest satisfaction rating were unchanged. They were: Schools & Education, Refuse Collection, Libraries, Registration of Births, Death & Marriages, Parks & Open Spaces and Health Services. The four services receiving a below average rating were Youth Services, Public Toilets, Holiday Play Schemes and Roads and Footpaths.

The three aspects in the Borough panellists rated highest were Education, Sport & Recreation facilities and the Environment. The three aspects in the Borough panellists rated below average were unchanged from when previously asked in 2003. They were: Facilities for Young People, Nightlife and Development of the Area.

The three aspects in the Borough panellists thought should have the highest priority for improvement were: Community Safety, Facilities for Young People and Health Services.

 

85% of panellists rated living in the Borough as very or fairly good – up 3% from when they were asked you in 2003. 4% rated it as poor.  83% were satisfied with their neighbourhood/village - down 3% from when we asked in 2003. 6% were dissatisfied.

 

In the 12 months preceding being asked, the events most panellists had attended at the Hampshire Rose Bowl were a Hampshire cricket match (14%), and a Private function (10%). Although 14% answered they were concerned by the planned open-air concerts at the Rose Bowl during the summer months, the majority of panellists were either unconcerned (27%), or said they’d welcome it (53%). Just over half of those panellists who were concerned about the planned concerts lived in the Hedge End, West End & Botley area.

 

Just under three quarters of respondents (74%), answered they used the Internet. This compares to 73% when we asked in 2003 and 67% in 2002. Of those that did have access to the Internet, nearly 80% used it every day.

29% of all panellists and 39% of those with Internet access had viewed the Council’s website. This has risen from 18% of all panellists in 2002 and 12% of all panellists in 2000. 10% of all panellists and 34% of those who had viewed our website had also contacted the Council using the website. There was a particular increase in panellists who thought the website contained the information they needed.

Panellists' three preferred methods for contacting the Council were the telephone, e-mail/Internet and letter; these were unchanged from when we asked in 2003.  Support however for e-mail/Internet had fallen about 15%.

Panellists thought our telephone service, together with our email and Internet services were the methods we should particularly be trying to improve. These were the same methods identified in 2003 with the telephone again being panellist’s top priority. Support for improving the Internet had fallen 13% from when we asked in 2003.

 

Over 80% of panellists said there was a public building where sport & recreation were available within 3 miles of their home. Just over 70% identified their nearest private sport & recreation building as being within 3 miles of their home. Panellists tended to use the private facilities/buildings more than the public ones. Nearly 60% of panellists never used their nearest public building for sport or recreation.

 

EASTLEIGH BOROUGH’S COUNTRYSIDE SITES

Three of the Borough’s main countryside sites were more frequently visited by panellists than the others, with 55% visiting Hamble Country Park and Itchen Valley Country Park (IVCP) and 49% visiting Lakeside in the 12 months before being asked.

Results showed panellists who visited the sites tended to visit three times a year or less. They gave a high satisfaction rating to all the Borough Council’s main countryside sites they’d visited, with only Wildern Nature Park receiving a satisfaction rating below 90%.