Use of Leisure Services
Normanby Hall is the most popular of the council’s leisure services, with almost two-thirds of panel members saying they visit. Around half say they visit The Plowright Theatre and council run sports and leisure centres, with 44% visiting museums.
Over a third say they visit The Baths Hall, with The Scunthorpe Screen and 20:20one Visual Arts Centre being patronised by 19% of panel members.
Sports pitches (17%) and golf courses (13%) are the least likely to be used.
Funding of Leisure Facilities
The majority of panel members believe that the council should continue to subside these leisure facilities at the present level (79%), with very few in favour of removing subsides altogether (5%).
The vast majority believe that children up to the age of 16 should be entitled to reduced entrance charges – 98% in the case of under 5’s and 94% for older children.
Similarly, around 90% believe that senior citizens and the disabled should pay lower entrance charges.
Reduced charges for students are favoured by 86% of panel members.
Whilst 71% feel that unemployed people should benefit from reduced entrance charges, this falls to 63% where dependants of the unemployed are concerned.
Overall, around a third of panel members are in favour of the idea of raising entrance charges for those who pay full price in order to continue offering concessions.
The idea of increasing full price entrance fees to improve facilities, on the other hand, was more warmly met, with 54% feeling that it is important to do so.
More than three quarters feel that entrance to museums and the 20:20one Arts Centre should continue to be free.
Image of North Lincolnshire
Overall, panel members tend to have a fairly positive view of the image of North Lincolnshire. Around two-thirds would describe the area as being modern and progressive, with more than three quarters believing it to be interesting.
Overall, 88% feel the area is developing though only 21% believe it to be rapid development.
North Lincolnshire is felt to be a friendly and welcoming place – 20% believing it to be very friendly and welcoming.
More than half believe that North Lincolnshire is a place most people have heard of (54%), with a further 7% feeling that “everybody” has heard of it.
Public Consultation
Questionnaires sent to residents homes is the most favoured form of public consultation – 62% saying they would be interested in taking part in this type of consultation in the future.
Just under half (46%) would be interested in being part of a panel of residents to whom the council would write regularly seeking views on local issues (though it must be borne in mind that as existing Community Voice Panel Members this group are perhaps more likely than others to respond to such a concept).
A third expressed interest in the concept of attending a public meeting, with slightly fewer in favour of meeting with a councillor (30%).
Whilst 19% favour the idea of a group of residents meeting with council representatives on a regular basis to discuss specific services, 23% would be interested in a council representative attending a local group meeting.
A significant minority (22%) expressed interest in the idea of attending focus groups.
Policing
Groups of young people in the street are the main factor contributing to people’s unease – almost half putting this at the head of their list of factors which would make them feel uncomfortable walking in their neighbourhood.
Seeing more police on foot patrol is by far the most influential factor affecting perception of personal safety – 70% putting this as their first priority.
Driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs was put in the number one position in 75% of cases when asked to rank five factors which might worry them about driver behaviour.
Better Homes
The idea of offering a range of services to homeowners to help keep their homes in good repair generally met with wide spread approval.
Virtually all panel members approve the idea of the council offering a handyworker service for the elderly or less able (98%), a referral system for finding reputable tradespeople (96%) and providing a list of accredited builders (93%).
On the remaining suggestions between 71% and 85% agree with the concept of the council providing such services to home owners.
Whilst 49% feel that resources should be allocated on a personal, 40% believe it should be on a needs basis.
Almost three-quarters believe that the council should use its legal powers to force home owners to make essential repairs or improvements for their own health and safety.
Neighbourhood Services
Overall, 84% of panel members said that they are not aware of Neighbourhood Service Teams or what they do; a further 7% are aware of the existence of the teams but do not know what type of work they undertake.
Many claim to have seen no change in the quality of service and some claim that the service has deteriorated.
The biggest area of perceived improvement is in maintenance of flower beds which 28% of panel members feel is better now than a year ago; 20% see an improvement in the grass cutting service.
Whilst 18% think that the clearing of litter from roads and streets has improved 26% disagree believing the service to be worse now than a year ago; 21% also believe that clearing of weeds and leaves from roads and footpaths has got worse.
For the remaining areas of service the proportion claiming improvements have been made range from 5% to 12%, though on three issues a large proportion responded “don’t know.”
Council Tax
Just over half believe that the council has been successful in driving down its costs to keep council tax levels under control, with 34% believing the council has not been successful in this direction.
Very few are in favour of increasing the level of council tax by more than the rate of inflation (4%). Whilst 45% agree that council tax should rise by 2.5% next year, 34% do not believe the cost should rise at all.