Transforming North Lincolnshire
Town centre shopping is seen by 56% of panel members as the area in which North Lincolnshire is developing the most; 19% feel that the greatest development is ‘as a location for new business’.
The issue of where the area is developing least is less clear cut, with four of the six areas each being mentioned by between 15% and 20% of panel members.
Overall, three-quarters of panel members feel that Scunthorpe serves the whole of the area well in terms of providing the range and quality of services and facilities they would expect.
Half of all panel members go into Scunthorpe town centre during the day at least once a week.
Almost half, however, never go into the town centre in the evening, and a further 28% hardly ever do so.
Generally speaking, the older the panel member the less likely they are to use Scunthorpe town centre in the evening – amongst those age 65 or over 73% never do and 20% hardly ever.
Amongst the 17 to 24 year olds, on the other hand, almost a third visit the town centre in the evening at least once a week.
Panel members were asked to rate various aspects of Scunthorpe town centre on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Looking only at the proportion giving a rating of 5 or 4, the quality of pedestrian areas (57%) and the ease of getting into the town centre (51%) received the highest ratings.
Around a third gave a score of 4 for ‘safety of the environment’, ‘overall appearance of the town centre’ and ‘good business services’.
The lowest score was for ‘facilities for young people’ where 41% of those with an opinion gave a score of 1 or 2 out of 5. Amongst those with children under 17 in the household this rose to 49%.
Although three quarters indicated that they feel Scunthorpe serves the whole of the area in terms of providing the range and quality of services and facilities they would expect, more than half nevertheless rate Scunthorpe town centre as being worse than other nearby urban centres.
Involvement with Local Government
Panel members are divided in their views on whether or not they can influence decision making, with 41% believing they can and 53% that they can’t.
Almost three-quarters of panel members claimed to have voted in the 1999 Council elections (71%), and more than 80% say they will definitely (58%) or probably (25%) vote in the coming elections in May 2003.
The vast majority of panel members agree that voting in local elections allows them to have a say in what the council does (82%), and feel it is important to use their vote (80%). Three-quarters also believe that their vote could make a difference to the outcome of the election.
However, only 10% strongly agree with the statement ‘there are usually important issues on which the election is being contested’ with a further 50% agreeing. Less than half agree that they have clear views on who the best candidate is at election time (48%), or want to help a particular party gain control of the council (46%).
When asked what would make them more likely to vote in council elections, 35% indicated that they always vote anyway. ‘More publicity on what the elections are about’ would have the most influence, with a further 40% saying that this would make them more likely to vote.
Postal voting would encourage 30% more panel members to vote and 20% would like the opportunity to vote electronically. More convenient locations (13%) or receiving the polling card earlier (7%) would have little effect.
Council Services Over the Internet
Around 40% of panel members have access to the internet and email for non work purposes – the vast majority from home.
Whilst 60% of those aged under 45 have access to the internet, only 45% of 45-54 year olds do, falling to 10% amongst over 65s.
Amongst those who have access to the internet, 42% have visited the North Lincs website. This represents 18% of all panel members.
Those who have accessed the site do so relatively infrequently.
Only 12% of those with internet/email access have contacted the council electronically (5% of all panel members), with the vast majority being satisfied with their experience.
Twenty percent of internet users would like to receive their council tax bill by email in the future (8% of all panel members).
Only 18% of panel members say they would like to pay their council tax by credit card in the future.
Overall, 62% of panel members who pay council tax do so by direct debit. There is not a single overriding reason why people choose not to pay by direct debit. Many simply prefer to deal in cash, make payments in person, or have more control over their day to day finances.
Policing & Community Safety
‘More investigation and detection of criminal offences’ (38%) and ‘more highly visible police patrols’ (38%) are given equal first priority for allocation of police resources.
‘More enforcement of traffic offences to reduce causalities/deaths on the road’ was felt to be the least important by 65% of panel members.
‘Inconsiderate parking/abandoned vehicles’ emerges as the biggest anti-social problem experienced by panel members - on a scale from 1 (no problem) to 5 (a big problem) almost a quarter gave a rating of four or five to indicate the scale of the problem.
‘Use of foul and abusive language in public’ and ‘litter/rubbish dumping’ were in equal second position with 18% giving ratings of 4 or 5. These were closely followed by ‘uncontrolled pets or dog fouling’ and ‘groups of young people on the streets’, each receiving scores of 4 or 5 from 15% of panel members.
Two other factors were felt to be a problem by more than 10% of panel members with the remaining five at 6% or less.
The majority of panel members say they have looked after a neighbours home while they have been away on holiday in the last twelve months (69%), and a quarter have reported suspicious or criminal behaviour to the police.
Only 6% have attended a Neighbourhood Watch meeting in the last twelve months.
Over the last twelve months, more than a third have installed an immobiliser, alarm or steering wheel lock to their car; whilst 9% have installed better door or window locks, 15% have installed a burglar alarm system and 6% outside security lighting.
A significant minority have post coded their possessions in the last twelve months (19%).
Child Care
Overall, 88% of panel members have heard of Working Families Tax Credit. Among those with children this rises to 97%.
Half of those who have dependent children of pre school or school age have applied for Working Families Tax Credit – two-thirds of whom received it and a third did not.
More than half of those with pre school or school age children do not currently have any childcare arrangements (58%).
The most common form of child care are non-registered baby sitters which 29% currently use and a further 2% say they would find helpful.
Currently only 2% use full time registered child care, and a further 9% part time. A further 8% say they would find one of these useful. Similarly 5% use registered after school care and a further 6% would find it useful.
Play facilities are used by 14% with 5% more thinking it would be a useful facility.
None of the panel members with children currently have access to work based registered child care, though 7% would like to.