Results
Q1: The percentage of respondents living in the wards of the survey area
Amble Central
2.8%
Amble East
3.8%
Amble West
2.4%
Alnwick Castle
6.4%
Alnwick Clayport
3.3%
Alnwick Hotspur
3.5%
Embleton
2.1%
Harbottle and Elsdon
1.9%
Hedgley
2.1%
Lesbury
3.5%
Longframlington
2.6%
Longhoughton
4.0%
Rothbury and South Rural
5.0%
Shilbottle
5.0%
Warkworth
4.2%
Whittingham
1.4%
Bamburgh
1.7%
Beadnell
1.9%
Belford
2.1%
Cheviot
1.7%
Edward
1.9%
Elizabeth
3.8%
Flodden
0.7%
Ford
1.2%
Islandshire
5.9%
Lowick
2.6%
Norhamshire
2.8%
North Sunderland
4.0%
Prior
3.1%
Seton
2.4%
Sheilfield
1.7%
Wooler
4.0%
Q2 The ethnicity of panel respondents
White British – English
88.9%
White British – Scottish
7.3%
White British – Welsh
0.2%
White British – Irish
0.7%
White British – other
0.7%
Dual Heritage – black, carribean,white
0.2%
Asian or Asian British - Indian
0.5%
Q3 Respondents classified as disabled?
Yes
12.5%
No
84.2%
Q4 The age categories of respondents:
18 - 21 |
1 . 9 % |
22 - 34 |
5 . 7 % |
35 - 49 |
22 . 4 % |
50 - 64 |
34. 4 % |
65 - 79 |
29 . 5% |
80+ |
5. 7 % |
Q5 The percentage of male and female respondents to the survey
Male |
46 . 7 % |
Female |
52 . 6 % |
Keeping you informed
Q6 How you hear about local news stories
Northumberland Gazette
61.3 %
Berwick Advertiser
41 .3 %
The Journal
38 . 7 %
Evening Chronicle
7 . 3%
Radio Newcastle
20 .5 %
Radio Lionheart
2 . 6 %
Radio Borders
10.1 %
Council magazines / leaflets
50.0%
Council websites
9.2 %
Other websites
5 . 7 %
Local TV
63 . 7%
Q7 Do you have access to the internet at home or somewhere else?
Yes |
75.2% |
No |
23.6 % |
Q8 Where do you access the internet?
At home
67.9%
Work
21.9 %
Library
4.5%
Learning center
0.9%
Internet café /shop
0.7%
School/college/university
1.7%
Community of voluntary organisation
0.5%
Q9 Have you ever used your local council website?
Regularly |
4.2% |
Occasionally |
34.4% |
Never |
39.4% |
Q10 What you use the council website for?
To look for / apply for jobs
7.1%
Information on planning
13.9%
Information on refuse and recycling
10.6%
Information on council tax and benefits
4.0%
To contact my councillor
3.1%
To get local news
9.2%
Information on housing
2.8%
Informing council of a problem
2.1%
Making a payment
2.4%
General browsing
21.7%
Q11 How easy did you find it to navigate the website?
-
It’s very easy to find what I’m looking for
8.7%
It’s quite easy to find what I’m looking for
21.0%
It takes me some time to find what I’m looking for
6.6%
It’s difficult to find what I’m looking for
3.1%
Q12 Can you recall receiving a copy of your local council information newspaper
(Connections is Alnwick District Council's bi-annual newspaper, Bear Facts is
Berwick Borough Council's magazine which is produced three times a year)?
-
Yes
92.9%
No
2.4%
Don’t know
3.8%
Q13 If you answered yes to question 12, did you find it:
|
agree |
agree |
neither |
disagree |
disagree |
Easy to read |
15.1% |
59.0% |
9.9% |
0.0% |
0.2% |
Provided information relevant to you? |
5.4% |
37.5% |
26.2% |
7.1% |
1.4% |
Was eye catching |
6.4% |
33.3% |
28.8% |
5.0% |
0.9% |
It should be published more often? |
5.9% |
15.8% |
28.8% |
17.7% |
8.7% |
Q14 Overall, how well informed do you think your local council keeps residents about the services and benefits it provides?
Very well informed |
Fairly well informed |
not very well informed | not well informed at all | don't know |
8.3% |
60.1% | 22.9% | 5.0% | 2.8% |
Q15 Are you aware of the changes planned in local government, which will see a new
unitary council delivering all council services in Northumberland from 1st April 2009?
Yes
84.2%
No
13.7%
Q16 How well informed do you think you are about these changes?
-
Very well informed
4.7%
Fairly well informed
37.7%
Not very well informed
41.0%
Not well informed at all
14.6%
Q17 How do you wish to be kept informed and receive information about the new council?
-
Local media (newspaper, television, radio)
76.4%
Council publications (magazines, leaflets)
75.2%
Council internet/ website
24.8%
From local councillor
34.4%
Don’t know
1.7%
Improving Services
Q18 What do you feel are the most important issues the new council should be
considering for the North Northumberland area?
Please tick up to 5 most important to you
Accessibility of services |
50.9% |
The provision of affordable housing |
52.8% |
Activities for teenagers |
42.5% |
Shopping facilities |
27.6% |
Cultural opportunities |
17.0% |
Safer local communities |
45.0% |
Enhancing tourism |
21.9% |
Public transport |
58.7% |
Job prospects |
42.5% |
Road and pavement repairs |
70.5% |
Cleaner, greener local environment |
50.5% |
Cleaner, greener local environment |
50.5% |
Q19 When was the last time you contacted your local council?
-
During the last 2 months
33.0 %
2-3 months ago
12.0%
3-6 months ago
10.4%
6-12 months ago
8.7%
More than 12 months ago
20.8%
I have never contacted the council
12.5%
Q20 Thinking about the last time you contacted the council, which of these best
describes the reason(s) why you made contact?
Reported an issue or problem |
24.8% |
Asked for advice or information |
36.8% |
Requested or applied to use a service |
18.9% |
Made a complaint |
5.4% |
Followed up an enquiry |
4.7% |
Can’t remember |
1.2% |
Q21 Overall, how satisfied were you with the following?
|
Very satisfied |
Fairly satisfied |
Neither satisfied or dissatisfied |
Fairly dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
| The time it took to deal with your enquiry | 30.2% | 31.1% | 7.8% | 6.1% | 6.6% |
The helpfulness of staff |
31.1% |
30.4% |
7.8% |
3.5% |
3.5% |
Staff knowledge |
25.0% |
25.7% |
11.3% |
4.7% |
3.3% |
Quality of the information or service |
21.7% |
25.9% |
12.5% |
5.4% |
5.0% |
Clarity of answers |
22.2% |
25.2% |
10.6% |
6.4% |
5.0% |
The time taken to find the right person to deal with your enquiry |
22.4% |
27.8% |
9.9% |
6.4% |
4.2% |
The final outcome |
25.7% |
26.4% |
8.7% |
5.2% |
9.7% |
Q22 What is your preferred method of accessing council services?
Visit a council office |
34.9% |
By telephone |
56.4% |
Through council website |
10.8% |
By email |
15.6% |
Send a letter |
9.7% |
Home visit |
3.1% |
Local councillor |
13.9% |
Q23 If the following methods of contacting your local council, or finding out about
local services were available, would you use them?
Video link from a local access point
Yes |
13.9% |
No |
77.8% |
Touch screen information booth
Yes |
29.7% |
No |
64.2% |
Q24 Are you satisfied with the current opening hours of council offices?
Yes, I am happy with the councils current opening hours |
80.4% |
No, I would prefer to contact the council at a different time during weekdays |
5.0% |
No, I would like to be able to contact the council during the weekends |
7.3% |
No opinion |
7.3% |
Alnwick District Council Monday -Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Berwick upon Tweed Borough Council Monday and Friday 8:45am - 5pm Tues, Wed and Thurs 8:45am
- 5:15pm
Q25 Which of these times would be your preferred time for contacting the council on weekdays?
-
Early morning 8 am – 8.30am
9.4%
During the day 8.30 am – 5pm
70.3%
Early evening 5 pm – 6pm
7.3%
Evening 6pm – 7pm
9.4%