cumbria quality of life survey 2006 barrow district report

Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006

Barrow District Report

2

Part 1: Key findings

3

Key findings (1) – quality of life

The Quality of Life Survey findings point to a number of important differences between liveability and satisfaction in Barrow and in Cumbria as a whole. A key factor underlying these differences is likely to be the economic deprivation of the Barrow district, in contrast with the affluence of many other parts of the County.

While levels of satisfaction with the local area are fairly high in Barrow, they are lower than the Cumbria County average, with 83% of Barrow residents saying they are satisfied compared to 88% County-wide. People living in Barrow are less satisfied with their local area than those in Cumbria overall (71% net satisfied in Barrow, compared with 79% in Cumbria).

Barrow residents score lower on many health indicators - happiness, disability and diet – than do residents throughout the County.

4

Key findings (2) – crime and safety

Fear of crime is more widespread in Barrow than it is in Cumbria overall. Barrow residents are more likely to be worried about being a victim of crime and less likely to feel safe outdoors after dark than are Cumbria residents generally.

Nonetheless, the proportion of residents saying they feel unsafe in their local area outside after dark is lower than is the case nationally. 24% of Barrow residents say they feel unsafe outside after dark, which compares with around three in ten people nationally (British Crime Survey 2005/6).

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a key concern for Barrow residents, who are less likely to feel well informed about what is being done to combat ASB than are those in Cumbria overall.

5

Key findings (3) - participation

A strong sense of community cohesion is evident in Barrow, as it is in Cumbria generally – two thirds of residents say they feel they belong to their community, although those in Barrow are less likely to trust most people locally than Cumbria residents overall are. Barrow residents are also less likely to participate in their local community through volunteering than are those County-wide (27% of Barrow residents say they have volunteered in the last twelve months, compared with 35% in Cumbria overall).

Half of Barrow residents believe people in their neighbourhood are able to influence local decision-making by working together, and two in five believe they personally are able to influence decisions that affect their local area.

Many Barrow residents are keen to have more of a say in Council decisions, with more than two in five giving this view, compared to around one in five residents nationally (source: Ipsos MORI research for the DCLG). It should be noted, however, that previous Ipsos MORI research has shown residents tend to ‘overclaim’ in terms of their actual willingness to get involved.

6

Key findings (4) - liveability

In terms of what makes an area a good place to live, clean streets are seen as more important in Barrow than in Cumbria overall, while health services are seen as less important.

Liveability issues such as clean streets are an important driver of Barrow residents’ satisfaction with the local area – as they are for Cumbria residents throughout the County. Dog fouling, litter and pavements blocked by parked cars are particular concerns for Barrow residents – addressing these concerns would be likely to aid in driving up satisfaction with Barrow as a place to live.

7

Key findings (5) – service delivery

Barrow residents’ top priorities for improvement in their local area are activities for teenagers, road and pavement repairs and clean streets. Several issues are cited by a higher proportion of Barrow residents as in need of improvement than by residents in Cumbria overall: in addition to the top priorities already outlined, these are job prospects, crime levels and facilities for young children.

Broadly speaking, Barrow residents think service delivery in the local area is good. Satisfaction with a number of local services and facilities – libraries, hospitals, train and bus services, social services and leisure facilities for young people - is higher in Barrow than it is in Cumbria overall.

While Barrow residents are more satisfied with many local services than are residents in Cumbria generally, satisfaction with certain services and facilities – the number of parks and green spaces, opportunities for adult education and public toilets – is lower among users of these services resident in Barrow than in Cumbria overall.

8

Interpretation of the data

A sample, not the entire population of Barrow, has returned a survey questionnaire. All results are therefore subject to sampling tolerances, and not all differences between percentages are statistically significant. As a guide, when comparing Cumbria against the districts there needs to be a difference of 6 percentage points for that difference to be statistically significant.

Data have been weighted to the known demographic profile of the area from the 2001 Census and to account for relative differences in the population size of districts.

Where percentages do not sum to 100, this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of ‘don’t know’ categories, or it being possible to give multiple answers to that question.

In this headline report, reference is made to ‘net’ figures. This represents the balance of opinion on attitudinal questions, and provides a useful means of comparing the results for number variables. For example, if 40% of residents are satisfied and 25% dissatisfied, the ‘net satisfaction’ figure is +15 points.

Caution should be taken when making comparisons with national data such as the British Crime Survey due to the different methodologies used.

9

Part 2: Liveability in Barrow

10

Quality of life (1)

24%

24%

23%

22%24%

22%

54%

52%

47%

43%

38%

37%

31%

22%

55%

35%

48%

50%

34%

39%

CumbriaBarrow

Q Thinking generally, which of the things below would you say are most important in making somewhere a good place to live?

% Top ten mentions

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

Affordable decent housing

The level of crime

Health services

Education provision

Job prospects

Clean streets

Access to nature

Wage levels/cost of living

Parks/open spaces

Public transport

11

Quality of life (2)

Cumbria

Barrow

24%

24%

23%

22%

24%

22%

66%

36%

49%

52%

37%

31%

20%

20%

26%

21%

54%

52%

47%

43%

38%

37%

31%

22%

55%

35%

48%

50%

34%

39%

Q Thinking generally, which of the things below would you say are most important in making somewhere a good place to live?

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents


The level of crime

Health services

Education provision

Job prospects

Clean streets

Access to nature


Parks/open spaces

Public transport

2003/04 Cumbria BVPI

12

Improvements to local area

Cumbria

Barrow

26%

25%

23%

16%

26%

22%

37%

34%

29%

37%

36%

30%

21%

20%

29%

28%

57%

54%

48%

42%

29%

26%

19%

27%

50%

37%

26%

34%

21%

38%

Q And thinking about this local area, which of the things below, if any, do you think most need improving?

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents

% Top ten mentions

Activities for teenagers

Job prospects

Level of traffic congestion



Road/pavement repairs

Level of crime

Clean streets

Facilities for young children

Health services

2003/04 Cumbria BVPI

13

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Importance vs. need for improvement

Access to nature Activities for teenagers

% Most need improving

% Most important


Clean streets

Community activities

Education provision

Facilities for young children

Health services

Job prospects

The level of crime

Level of pollutionLevel of traffic congestion

Parks and open spacesPublic transport

Race relations

Road and pavement repairsShopping facilities

Sports and leisure facilities; Cultural facilities

Wage levels and local cost of living

Base: 314 Barrow residents

14

22%

62%

11%4%

2% Sat%

Not sat%

Barrow 83 13

Cumbria 88 8

Satisfaction with local area

Very satisfied

Not stated

Not very satisfied

Fairly satisfied

Not at all satisfied

Q Overall how satisfied are you with your local area as a place to live?


15

Q Overall how satisfied are you with your local area as a place to live?

71%

79%

84%

70%

77%

89%

86%

Satisfaction with Cumbria and districts

±% Net satisfaction

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

16

Q On the whole, do you think over the last 3 years your local area has got better, got worse or stayed the same?

Changes in local area

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

8

7

5

10

5

4

7

65

73

54

64

74

69

20

19

16

29

21

13

16

63

% Better % Worse% Same


17

Comments about local area

Q Why do you say the local area has got worse?


Most frequent responses: Environment (19%) Crime and safety (11%)Children/young people (9%)

Q Why do you say the local area has got better?Most frequent responses: Environment (3%)

Housing and business development (2%) Local amenities and facilities (2%)

Further responses: Transport (7%)Local amenities and facilities (5%) Housing and business development (2%)Community (2%)Other negative comments (8%)

Further responses: Crime and safety (2%)Community (1%)Other positive comments (4%)

18

17%

29%35%

12%6%

2%

Agree%

Disagree%

Gender

Male 17 52

Female 20 43

Age

16-34 11 49

35-54 22 53

55+ 20 39

Working status

Working 18 53

Not working 19 40

Influence over decision-making (1)

Strongly agreeStrongly disagree

Neither/nor

Agree

Disagree

Q To what extent do you agree with the following statements?‘I can influence decisions that affect my local area’


Not stated

19

Influence over decision-making (2)

Q To what extent do you agree with the following statement?‘I can influence decisions that affect my local area’


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

% Agree% Disagree

44

43

39

52

42

42

18

20

19

20

16

25

23

47

20

Interest in the Council and decision making

I’m not interested in what the council does, or whether they do their job

I’m not interested in what the council does as long as they do their job

Q Which of these statements below comes closest to your own attitudes towards your district and county council?

I like to know what the council is doing, but I'm happy to let them get on with their jobI would like to have more of a say in what the council does

I already work for, or am involved with, the council

Don’t know/not stated


1%

11%

35%

43%

3%

6%

1%

8%

43%

38%

4%

6%

CumbriaBarrow

21

55%

32%

39%

48%

42%

47%

38%

Involvement with Council

Male

Female


Q Which of these statements below comes closest to your own attitudes towards your district and county council? All those agreeing with: ‘I would like to have more of a say in what the council does, and the services it provides’

Gender

Age

Working status

Working

Not working

16-34

35-54

55+

22

Q Which of these statements below comes closest to your own attitudes towards your district and county council? All those agreeing with: ‘I would like to have more of a say in what the council does, and the services it provides’

43%

38%

36%

34%

40%

37%

41%

Involvement with Council


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

23

Part 3: Community and Safety

24

19

68

1711

98

4951

4948

5463

6364

22

Attitudes to neighbourhood

By working together people in my neighbourhood can influence decisions that affect their neighbourhood

% Agree

I trust many or most of the people locally

I feel I belong to my local area

% Disagree

In my local area people from different backgrounds get on well together (e.g. race, disability, social group)

Q To what extent do you agree with the following statements?

Cumbria

Barrow


Cumbria

Barrow

Cumbria

Barrow

Cumbria

Barrow

25

34%

36%

16%

3%

10%

Time spent on voluntary work

Less than 2 hours

2-5 hours

Q If you have volunteered during the last year, roughly how many total hours have you volunteered, on average, per week?

6-9 hours

10-13 hours

14 hours plus

Base: All those who say they have volunteered in the last year (88)

‘Volunteered during the past year’

Yes 27%

No 71%

26

49

46

61

53

34

37

41

48

51

35

44

62

60

57

Fear of crime

% Not worried % Worried

Q How worried are you about being a victim of any type of crime in your local area?


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

27

16%

12%

13%

14%

10%

7%

7%

Having been a victim of crime

Q Have you been a victim of any type of crime in the past 12 months?

% ‘Yes’


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

28

Q How safe or unsafe do you feel in your local area, i.e. the area within 15-20 minutes of your home?

50%

94%

95%

97%

Cumbria%

55

94

95

92

Perceptions of safety in local area (1)

Outdoors after dark

±% Net safe

Indoors after dark

Outdoors during the day

Indoors during the day


29

50%

55%

61%

28%

53%

67%

74%

Perceptions of safety in local area (2)

Q How safe or unsafe do you feel in your local area, i.e. the area within 15-20 minutes of your home?


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

±% Net safe outdoors after dark

30

Change in local area with regard to crime and safety

Q In terms of crime and safety, do you feel in the last 3 years your local area has got better, worse or stayed the same?

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

7

5

7

6

6

2

3

67

67

63

62

72

74

19

17

16

20

22

16

12

64

% Better % Worse% Same


31

Anti-social behaviour (1)

Q How much of a problem do you feel that the following are in your local area?

25

29

30

34

29

38

53

46

42

27

42

24

44

31

26

22

19

19

11

7

24

Base: 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

% Not a problem % A serious problem% A minor problem

Crimes against your property

Parents not taking responsibility for the behaviour of their children

People not treating other people with respect and consideration

People dealing drugs

Teenagers hanging around on the streets

People using drugs

People being drunk or rowdy in public places

32

Anti-social behaviour (2)

Q How much of a problem do you feel that the following are in your local area?

58

61

53

76

71

73

25

28

22

6

17

7

7

5

3

2

2

6Noisy neighbours or loud parties

People being attacked because of skin colour, ethnic origin or religion

People sleeping rough on the streets/other public places

Abandoned or burnt-out cars

Deliberate rubbish/wheelie bin fires

Door step crimes



33

2

2

2

2

1

3

3

16

20

21

18

20

21

22

45

35

32

34

34

38

26

27

26

32

34

26

20

10

15

16

17

11

17

17

36

Tackling anti-social behaviour

% Not very well informed

% Don’t know

% Not well informed at all

% Very well informed

% Fairly well informed

Q How well informed do you feel about what is being done to tackle anti-social behaviour in your local area?


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

34

3

1

1

1

2

1

2

29

28

29

26

31

31

28

35

35

35

31

29

26

15

13

13

17

14

12

9

19

25

22

21

22

26

36

32

Effectiveness of the criminal justice system

% Not very effective

% Don’t know/ not stated

% Not at all effective

% Very effective

% Fairly effective

Q How effective do you feel the criminal justice system in Cumbria is in bringing offenders to justice?


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

35

Part 4: Environment, Local Services and Transport

36

Environmental issues (1)

Q How big a problem do you think the following environmental issues are in your local area?

11

20

35

31

38

43

48

37

46

41

44

21

17

17

29

Dog fouling

Rubbish and litter lying around

Roads and footpaths in poor condition

Pavements blocked by parked carsVandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property or vehicles



37

Environmental issues (2)

Q How big a problem do you think the following environmental issues are in your local area?

61

51

66

38

50

23

38

16

15

3

7

5

4

4

6Noise pollution

State of the local river/ stream

Neglected or derelict buildings or land

Air quality and traffic pollution

The appearance or location of new developments



38

14

15

3

16

3

16

11

1

11

85

81

78

77

77

64

64

62

61

60

10

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities (all residents) (1)

% Satisfied % Dissatisfied

Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area? ±% Net

Barrow±% Net Cumbria

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

Libraries

Fire/rescue services

Hospitals

GPs

Number of parks/green spaces

Quality of parks/green spaces

75

67

63

73

61

61

48

52

60

49

55

70

70

66

61

52

14

29

50

38

Local bus services

Local train services

Local primary schools

Opportunities for adult education

39

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities (all residents) (2)

Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area?

20

12

33

44

51

6

24

55

55

53

53

49

48

41

40

38

22

20


Children’s playgrounds

Public toilets

Local secondary schools

Leisure facilities for young people

Leisure facilities for adults 35

33

41

16

4

-10

34

14

-32

30

31

40

-8

40

-4

24

2

-13

Suitable housing

Appearance of streets etc

Social services

Dentists

±% Net Barrow

±% Net Cumbria

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

40

4

10

12

11

12

13

15

95

94

90

87

85

85

85

84

5

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (1)




Base: All users. Base sizes in brackets above. * Small base size

Libraries (165) 90 84

Social services (44)* 74 64

Fire/rescue services (17)* 91 86

Hospitals (243) 80 64

GPs (282) 69 73

Number of parks/green spaces (198) 73 80

Quality of parks/green spaces (198) 72 72

Train services (143) 75 50

41

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (2)



Base: All users. Base sizes in brackets above. * Small base size

21

22

28

22

52

55

80

77

75

72

69

47

40

18


Children’s play areas (117)

Opportunities for adult education (54)

Bus services (203)

Leisure facilities for young people (81)

Leisure facs. for adults (114)

44

62

55

34

Public toilets (139) -15 -5

53 56

47 26

56 50

Dentists (219) -5 11

42

75

97

87

137

7378

8382

7271

7174

16

810

2021

1619

20

Forms of transport

Q Please list your main form of transport for different journeys on a typical weekday:

Pedestrian/cyclistCar/motorbikePublic transport

Work

Leisure

Medical/ clinic

Shopping

Barrow (159)

Cumbria (1,178)

Barrow (300)

Cumbria (2,202)

Barrow (275)

Cumbria (1,861)

Barrow (276)

Cumbria (1,830)

Base: All those who travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

43

35%

48%

41%

64%

30%25% 26%

10%16% 16%

29%

5%

18%

3%

26%

8%

Work (153)

Shopping (297)

Leisure (261)

Medical/clinic (251)

Distances travelled

Q Please list how many miles you travel for different journeys on a typical weekday:

5-8 miles3-4 milesUnder 3 miles

Base: All those who stated how far they travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

More than 8 miles

44

27%

2%5%

10%

61%

43%

57%

8% 6% 6%2% 3%

7%1%

4% 4% 2%

35%29%27%

24% 25%

13%

*%

Work (236)

Shopping (303)

Leisure (274)

Medical/clinic (285)

Time travelled

Q Please list how much time it takes you to travel for different journeys on a typical weekday:

15-29 mins>15 minsNone

Base: All those who stated how far they travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

30-59 mins 1-2 hours <2 hours

45

Part 5: Health and Well-being

46

15

20

20

17

20

19

26

54

57

58

60

51

65

57

22

15

17

19

13

12

6

3

3

4

2

1

1

1

16

Happiness

% Neither/nor % Very unhappy% Unhappy% Very happy % Happy

Q Taking all things together, would you say in general you are…?


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

47

21

22

20

22

23

24

25

40

42

46

38

40

50

40

29

24

28

23

21

24

7

6

6

7

7

4

6

2

1

2

2

1

1

1

25

Health

% Fair % Very bad% Bad% Very good % Good

Q Over the last 12 months, would you say that on the whole your health has been…


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

48

74

85

88

27

22

14

9

72

Disability

Barrow

Cumbria

Q Do you have any long term illness, health problem or disability which limits your daily activities or the work you can do?

Q Do you think of yourself as a disabled person?


% Yes % No

Barrow

Cumbria

Long term illness, health problem or disability

Think of yourself as a disabled person

49

38%

33%

31%

40%

33%

27%

27%

Smoking

Q Do you smoke cigarettes at all nowadays?

% ‘Yes’

Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Base: All who have ever smoked cigarettes, cigars or other tobacco products: 1,038 Cumbria; 167 Barrow; 179 Allerdale; 173 Carlisle; 148 Copeland; 205 Eden; 166 South Lakeland

50

Q On a typical day, how many portions of fruit and vegetables do you eat?

Diet

61%

76%

69%

71%

71%

69%

71%

36%

22%

28%

26%

27%

28%

26%

5+Less than 4


Barrow

Cumbria

Allerdale

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

51

Q In an average week, how many units of alcohol do you drink?

Alcohol consumption

17%

3%

Male (Drink more than 21 units per week)

Female (Drink more than 14 units per week)


52

31%

18%

33%

8%

3%

6%

Moderate exercise

Q How often do you take moderate exercise?

1-3 times a week

Every day

4-6 times a week

Never

29

3

7

32

21

4

Cumbria%


Less than once a month

More than once a month, but less than once a week

53

4%

8%

29%

19%

9%

29%

Vigorous exercise

Q How often do you take vigorous exercise?

1-3 times a week

Every day

4-6 times a week

Never

32

11

18

4

10

22

Cumbria%


Less than once a month

More than once a month, but less than once a week

54

Q How much do you weigh?Q How tall are you?

BMI

26.6

25.7

25.6

26.7

26.1

25.9

26.0

24.1

25.4

24.7

25.1

24.2

24.7

25.1

FemaleMale

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Mean

Base: All except pregnant women: 2,125 Cumbria; 312 Barrow; 372 Allerdale; 361 Carlisle; 324 Copeland; 387 Eden; 369 South Lakeland

NB: Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated by dividing weight (in kg) by height (in metres) squared. Those with a BMI of 30 or more are classified as obese.

55

13%

10%

9%

8%

12%

10%

8%

Obesity

% Obese

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Q How much do you weigh?Q How tall are you?

NB: Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated by dividing weight (in kg) by height (in metres) squared. Those with a BMI of 30 or more are classified as obese.

Base: All except pregnant women: 2,125 Cumbria; 312 Barrow; 372 Allerdale; 361 Carlisle; 324 Copeland; 387 Eden; 369 South Lakeland

56

Q Which of the following best describes your sexuality?

Sexuality

85%

13%

17%

17%

18%

23%

17%

14%

85%

80%

79%

78%

74%

80%

1%

3%

3%

5%

3%

3%

2%


Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Not heterosexualHeterosexual Not stated/prefer not to say

cumbria quality of life survey 2006 barrow district report

Documents

cumbria residents

half of barrow residents

proportion of residents

thirds of residents

barrow district report

key findings

local area

cumbria county average