USER SATISFACTION SURVEY
The National User Satisfaction Survey Results 2006/07
The National User Satisfaction Survey is a three yearly postal survey of residents’ satisfaction with the services provided by local authorities. Each council undertakes the surveys on the government’s behalf for the services they provide.
Horsham District Council carries out a general household survey which focuses on four key areas: corporate health, environment & waste, transport and cultural & recreational services; aswell as a survey of local authority benefit claimants and a survey of planning applicants.
All local authorities across the country undertake these surveys using a standardised questionnaire and the key results are then compared, so that high/low performance can be identified and action taken where necessary. The first round of surveys ran in 2000-01, the second in 2003-04 and the third round in 2006-07.
The survey is a statutory central Government requirement to make sure local authorities are providing a satisfactory level of service to residents. Local authorities collect the survey data following a methodology and a timetable prescribed by Communities and Local Government and the Audit Commission.
What do residents think of Horsham District Council’s services?
The results of General and Benefits surveys indicate that satisfaction levels among Horsham District residents are good. The figures below indicate the percentage of residents who answered ‘good or very good’ to survey questions. When compared with the national survey results for the General Survey, out of the nine key survey results, seven are in the top 25% nationally.
| BVPI | HDC | Nat. Top Quartile | National Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| BV 3 - General satisfaction | 62% | 60% | |
| BV 4 – Complaint handling | 33% | 38% | 34% |
| BV 89 - Cleanliness | 74% | 74% | |
| BV 90a - Waste generally | 81% | 86% | 81% |
| BV 90b - Recycling | 78% | 76% | |
| BV 119a - Sport/Leisure | 74% | 65% | |
| BV 119c - Museums | 55% | 50% | |
| BV 119d - Theatres | 60% | 52% | |
| BV 119e - Parks | 87% | 78% | |
| BV 80 - Benefits office | 83% | Not available yet | Not available yet |
| BV 111 - Satisfaction with planning service |
58% | Not available yet | Not available yet |
Horsham District's survey results confirm that in most services overall satisfaction levels have increased since the last survey was carried out, and satisfaction with the specific aspects of services provided, for example: recycling, street cleanliness, sports and leisure facilities, theatres etc are much higher this time around.
The Planning survey results are disappointing, but not entirely unexpected. Local authorities have all been affected by the national shortage of planning officers, and several posts have been vacant over a long period, resulting in an inordinately high number of caseloads per planning officer. Applications then take longer to process and queries take longer to deal with, increasing dissatisfaction with the service. The department has recently been restructured, maximizing current staff abilities and providing more planning advice, and a number of the vacant posts have been filled.
What do we do with the results?
Because the survey captures the views and concerns of a large sample of residents, it is used by the Council to help decide where the priorities for the District lie and identify where we can make a difference to the quality of life of residents.
The General survey doesn’t only ask about satisfaction with services – it also includes questions like:
- ‘Which of the things below would you say are most important in making somewhere a good place to live?’ The top five are: health services, crime levels, education provision, affordable decent housing and shopping facilities'
- ‘Which of the things below, if any, do you think most need improving?’ The top five are: activities for teenagers, health services, affordable decent housing, the level of traffic congestion and public transport'