Local Elections
More than 90% were aware of changes in how the May council elections had been run. Those under 35 were significantly less likely to be aware of the changes.
A further 5% were aware of the change to postal voting when prompted, leaving only 4% (50 respondents) who claimed to not be aware of the change. The great majority of this group were under 45 with the largest group being under 25.
More than four fifths thought that the public had been well informed about the changes to the voting system, but again it was the younger groups were more likely to consider that the public had not been well informed.
Almost three-quarters of panel members claimed to have voted in the 2003 Council elections (71%), while more than 80% had previously said in January that they would definitely (58%) or probably (25%) vote in this election. This compares with an overall turnout of 51.3% for the 2003 election, which highlights a greater degree of interest amongst panel members than within the population in general.
Over 90% found both the instructions for postal voting easy to understand and the ballot paper easy to complete. Some 46 respondents thought the instructions were fairly difficult or very difficult to understand. The biggest difficulty arose from there being three parts and it not being clear what had to be done with each part. Those finding difficulty with the instructions tended to be female and aged over 55, though not exclusively so. The most frequently mentioned improvement was to make the instructions clearer and simpler.
Only ten respondents had difficulty with the ballot paper and again they felt that it needed to be clearer or simpler.
Overall there was a significant minority who were dissatisfied with voting by post (13%). There tended to be a higher level of dissatisfaction amongst older age groups, particularly those over 65. Only 6% of those under 35 were dissatisfied with postal voting compared with 21% of those aged over 65 years. Amongst the 108 people who were dissatisfied with voting by post more than half had concerns about the secrecy of the ballot as they believed that individuals were identifiable from their ballot papers.
71% of Panel Members said they voted in this election and 42% would definitely have voted even if there had not been publicity regarding the change in the voting system. Some 8% of Panel Members claimed that they would not have voted had it not been for the publicity. Although the sample sizes are small there are indications that the publicity had the greatest effect in encouraging voting amongst younger age groups. 17% of the 17-24 age group would not have voted if there had not been so much publicity compared with only 9% of the over 55’s.
Overall just over a quarter said that the change to postal voting had an effect on their decision to vote but this may have been either positive or negative. There was little difference in this effect across the age groups.
More than three quarters considered total postal voting in the future to be a good idea however 1 in 5 did not think it was a good idea. Those under 35 are most likely to think postal voting a good idea and those over 65 least likely. The prime reason for thinking postal voting is a good idea relates to the view that postal voting is easier.
The greatest concern amongst thinking postal voting is not a good idea relates to a perceived problem with secrecy as the individual is identified on the ballot paper. Although this accounts for 41% of those thinking it not a good idea it represents only 8% of the total sample.
The Panel were specifically asked how concerned they were with issues of secrecy and security and more than a third expressed some level of concern. When asked specifically about this issue those under 35 were much less likely to be concerned than those over 35. Amongst the third of the Panel that expressed some concern 60% were concerned that their address was on the ballot paper. There seems therefore to be a need for voters to understand more clearly how the system works and the procedures used that prevent the actual voting paper being linked to the individual.
When asked what method of voting they would prefer in the future postal voting is preferred by 60% overall with not less than 50% opting for this method in any age group. Voting in person at a polling station is least popular amongst the under 35’s, while a significant minority of under 24’s would prefer to vote by text message.
Community
Two thirds had carried out one or more helpful things for someone else who was not a relative.
The help most often given was looking after property or a pet for someone who is away which was undertaken by 45% of Panel members. There is little difference in these figures across different groups e.g. gender, age, rural and urban areas.
A quarter claim to help someone in this way at least once a week with a further third doing so at least once a month,
Policing
Less than half were aware that North Lincolnshire is covered by six local policing teams and overall a quarter were aware of a noticeable increase in police presence since the change to local policing teams.
Respondents were asked whether they had contacted the police in the last six months for any of eight reasons, 10% had done so. The most likely reason for contacting the police was relating to ‘Groups of youths in the street’ (5%), followed by ‘Abandoned or burnt out vehicles’ (3%).
Trading Standards
60% of Panel members believe they know a great deal or a reasonable amount about their consumer rights when buying goods and services. This is however a fall from 63% in 2000. Those aged under 25 are least likely to know about their consumer rights in this respect while those aged 45-54 know the most.
Two thirds are aware that Trading Standards offer free consumer and trader advice and over 70% know how to contact the department. This is a marked improvement on the situation in 2000. It is the under 25’s who are again least likely to know about the free advice service or how to contact the department.
Overall 8% think there are problems with unfair trading in North Lincs but this rises to 11% amongst the 35-54 age group. When asked to specify particular problems a wide range of topics were mentioned. The two areas mentioned most frequently were shops giving credit notes not refunds and problems with the motor trade either in terms of repairs/servicing or purchasing. In terms of the total sample however, this represented only 1% of all respondents.
One fifth were aware of the Motor Trade Partnership and over a quarter would like to receive information about the scheme.
Travel & Transport
In the autumn of 2000 a number of questions were asked about travel and transport which have been repeated as part of this survey in order to assess the changes that have occurred.
For six of the eight types of local journey recorded the proportion travelling by car has changed little but for two types of trip, visiting the doctors or town centre shops car use has increased significantly. In the case of travel to school/college there has been an increase in those walking from 24% to 29%.
Amongst those travelling to work by car there has been a small increase in those driving themselves and a marked fall in the number travelling with others.
Between 2000 and 2003 the likelihood of respondents using their car less often if improvements were made to public transport fell significantly. The only improvement that might lead a larger proportion to use their car less often is ‘safe places to wait for the bus’.
Libraries
Four out of five panel members either use or have used North Lincs libraries, 45% using them currently and 36% in the past. This figure is relatively similar across both gender and age. Amongst those who used to use libraries but don’t now do so relatively few have stopped using them over the last two years with the largest fall in the number of users occurring 3-5 years ago.
Amongst the 65% who do not currently use the libraries nearly two thirds are not interested or feel no need to visit a library at the moment. The only other significant reasons are not having time and the fact that they buy the books they want. Different reasons tend to be given by different groups for not visiting libraries.
When asked to say spontaneously what could be done to encourage non users to use libraries the great majority felt that nothing would encourage them.
Amongst non library users awareness of some of the facilities available is quite low with it being 35% or less for three of the facilities available. Availability of each of these facilities would encourage around a fifth of non users to use the libraries with the availability of local family history information being the most encouraging.
Amongst the 45% that currently use libraries, relatively few use them more than once a month. Expressed as a proportion the total sample, 10% are frequent visitors visiting at least every two weeks while 22% have visited infrequently in the last year. The overall average frequency of visiting amongst library users is once every four weeks but those over 65 visit twice as often while those under 25 visit half as frequently.
Amongst library users the traditional use for borrowing books and using the reference section are still pre-eminent. There are only two other facilities used by at least 10%, borrowing cd’s or videos and using a computer with internet access.
More than half library users use the Scunthorpe Central Library most often with around 10% each using Barton and Brigg. A mobile library is used most often by 4% of users who tend to be ladies over 65.
Amongst users there is nearly unanimous agreement that:
- The staff are helpful (97%)
- The staff are usually able to answer any questions you have (96%)
- It is easy for you to get to (93%)
- It is in a convenient location (92%)
Finally in this section all respondents were asked to say for a range of possible facilities which would encourage them to use a library more often. More than 25% thought that three factors would encourage more use:
- More information on what library has to offer (30%)
- Cafe facilities (26%)
- Comfortable seating (26%)
The factor that was thought would least encourage greater use was:
- A modern design and layout (13%)
Some of these facilities appeal particularly to under 25’s:
- Café facilities
- Comfortable seating
- A modern design and layout
- Computers with internet access available for available for public use
The following appeals to 25-44 year old’s:
- More facilities for children
- While those under 55 would appreciate:
- More information on what the library has to offer