cumbria quality of life survey 2006 south lakeland district report

Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006

South Lakeland 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 South Lakeland and in Cumbria as a whole. These differences may relate to the relative affluence of the area compared to some other districts in the County and also a higher proportion of older residents than any other district in Cumbria, with 44% of residents aged 55+ compared with 40% County-wide (source: 2001 Census).

Levels of satisfaction with the local area are high in South Lakeland, as they are in Cumbria overall, with 90% of residents saying they are satisfied with their area.

South Lakeland residents score more highly on certain health indicators – happiness, smoking and fruit and vegetable consumption – than do residents elsewhere in the County.

4

Key findings (2) – crime and safety

Residents perceive South Lakeland as a relatively safe place to live and fear of crime is lower in South Lakeland than in Cumbria overall. 11% of South Lakeland residents say they feel unsafe outside after dark, which compares with 21% in Cumbria (QoL Survey 2006) and around three in ten people nationally (British Crime Survey 2005/6).

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a key concern for South Lakeland residents, as it is for Cumbria residents generally – and three in five South Lakeland residents do not feel well informed about what is being done to combat it.

5

Key findings (3) - participation

An even stronger sense of community cohesion is evident in South Lakeland than in Cumbria generally – three quarters of residents say they trust most people locally, compared to two thirds in Cumbria overall. In addition, South Lakeland residents are more likely than those County-wide to perceive their local area as a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together. Half of residents believe people in their neighbourhood are able to influence local decision-making by working together, and a quarter believe they personally can influence it.Many South Lakeland residents are keen to have more of a say in Council decisions, with 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. Levels of volunteering in South Lakeland are higher than they are in Cumbria overall, with 43% saying they have volunteered in the last twelve months, compared with 35% in Cumbria. This also compares favourably to national survey data that shows around a quarter of people volunteering nationally (Ipsos MORI Social Issues Omnibus, 2006).

6

Key findings (4) - liveability

In terms of what makes an area a good place to live, health services and access to nature are seen as more important in South Lakeland than in Cumbria overall, while job prospects are seen as less important. These differences are likely to reflect the older age profile of the district compared with some districts elsewhere in the County.

Liveability issues such as clean streets are an important driver of South Lakeland residents’ satisfaction with the local area – as they are for Cumbria residents overall. Roads and pavements being in poor condition, dog fouling and litter are particular concerns for South Lakeland residents – addressing these concerns would be likely to aid in driving up satisfaction with South Lakeland as a place to live.

7

Key findings (5) – service delivery

South Lakeland residents’ top priorities for service delivery are affordable decent housing, activities for teenagers and road and pavement repairs. While housing, traffic congestion and wage levels and the cost of living are cited by a higher proportion of South Lakeland residents as in need of improvement than by residents in Cumbria overall, other issues – clean streets and the level of crime - are seen as less in need of improvement. Broadly speaking, South Lakeland residents who use local services and facilities think service delivery in the local area is good. User satisfaction with a number of local services and facilities – the amount and quality of parks and green spaces, children’s playgrounds and social services - is higher in South Lakeland than it is in Cumbria overall.While users of local services in South Lakeland are more satisfied with many local services than are users in Cumbria generally, satisfaction with the opportunities for adult education, local bus services and leisure facilities for young people is lower in South Lakeland than in Cumbria overall.

8

Interpretation of the data

A sample, not the entire population of South Lakeland, 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 South Lakeland

10

Quality of life (1)

26%

24%

24%

23%34%

19%

61%

55%

47%

40%

38%

33%

22%

24%

50%

55%

48%

31%

39%35%

CumbriaSouth Lakeland

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; 370 South Lakeland residents

Affordable decent housing

The level of crime

Health services

Education provision

Job prospects

Clean streets

Access to nature

Public transport

Level of traffic congestion

Parks/open spaces

11

Quality of life (2)

Cumbria

South Lakeland

26%

24%

24%

23%

34%

19%

52%

66%

49%

20%

31%

36%

20%

26%

37%

24%

61%

55%

47%

40%

38%

33%

22%

24%

50%

55%

48%

31%

39%

35%

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; 370 South Lakeland residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents


The level of crime

Health services

Education provision

Job prospects

Clean streets

Access to nature

Public transport

Traffic congestion

Parks/open spaces

2003/04 Cumbria BVPI

12

Improvements to local area

Cumbria

South Lakeland

30%

27%

17%

13%

26%

21%

30%

37%

34%

20%

29%

37%

28%

28%

29%

36%

53%

48%

42%

35%

32%

30%

28%

22%

38%

50%

37%

27%

26%

34%

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; 370 South Lakeland residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents

% Top ten mentions

Wage levels/cost of living

Job prospects


Public transport

Clean streets

Road/pavement repairs

Level of crime

Level of traffic congestion

Health services

2003/04 Cumbria BVPI

Activities for teenagers

13

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

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 activitiesCultural facilities

Education provision

Facilities for young children

Health services

The level of crime

Level of pollutionLevel of traffic congestion

Parks and open spaces Public transport; Job prospects

Race relations

Road and pavement repairs

Shopping facilities

Sports and leisure facilities

Wage levels and local cost of living

Base: 370 South Lakeland residents

14

44%

46%

4%

6%

Sat%

Not sat%

South Lakeland 90 4

Cumbria 88 8

Satisfaction with local area

Very satisfiedNot very satisfied

Fairly satisfied

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


Not stated

15

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

86%

79%

84%

71%

70%

77%

89%

Satisfaction with Cumbria and districts

±% Net satisfaction

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

South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

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 7

7

5

8

10

5

4

65

73

63

54

64

74

16

19

16

20

29

21

13

69

% Better % Worse% Same


17

Comments about local area

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

Most frequent responses: Environment (17%) Transport (10%)Housing and business development (7%)

Q Why do you say the local area has got better?Most frequent responses: Community (7%)

Local amenities and facilities (3%) Environment (2%)

Further responses: Crime and safety (5%)Local amenities and facilities (5%)Children/young people (4%)Community (3%)Other negative comments (6%)

Further responses: Crime and safety (2%)Housing and business development (1%)Other positive comments (11%)


18

21%

30%28%

14%6%

1%

Agree%

Disagree%

Gender

Male 20 45

Female 25 39

Age

16-34 18 47

35-54 15 48

55+ 31 35

Working status

Working 19 46

Not working 28 35

Influence over decision-making (1)

Strongly agree

Strongly 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

23

20

19

18

20

16

2542

52

39

47

43

44

42

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’

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

% Agree% Disagree


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%

7%

41%

41%

2%

8%

1%

8%

43%

38%

4%

6%

CumbriaSouth Lakeland

21

40%

42%

43%

42%

40%

43%

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’

41%

38%

36%

43%

34%

40%

37%

Involvement with Council


South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

23

Part 3: Community and Safety

24

19

68

611

78

5551

5548

7463

6764

17

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 race)

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

Cumbria

South Lakeland


Cumbria

South Lakeland

Cumbria

South Lakeland

Cumbria

South Lakeland

25

42%

37%

8%

4%

8%

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 (164)

‘Volunteered during the past year’

Yes 43%

No 51%

26

49

46

57

61

53

34

60

48

51

41

35

44

62

37

Fear of crime

% Not worried % Worried

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


South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

27

11%

12%

13%

16%

14%

10%

7%

Having been a victim of crime

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

% ‘Yes’


South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

28

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

74%

95%

96%

95%

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

74%

55%

61%

50%

28%

53%

67%

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?


±% Net safe outdoors after dark

South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

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 3

5

7

7

6

6

2

67

67

64

63

62

72

12

17

16

19

20

22

16

74

% 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?

44

47

38

51

49

39

65

35

33

25

35

31

20

22

13

9

8

8

8

5

13

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

Base: 370 South Lakeland residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

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?

72

69

80

77

82

82

20

15

8

8

7

4

2

2

1

1

2

Noisy neighbours or loud parties

People sleeping rough on the streets/other public placesAbandoned or burnt-out cars

Deliberate rubbish/ wheelie bin fires

Door step crimes

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



33

3

2

2

2

2

1

3

22

20

21

16

18

20

21

38

35

45

32

34

34

20

27

26

26

32

34

26

17

15

16

10

17

11

17

36

Tackling anti-social behaviour

% Not very well informed

% Don’t know/ not stated

% 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?


South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

34

2

1

1

3

1

2

1

28

28

29

29

26

31

31

26

35

35

35

31

29

9

13

13

15

17

14

12

36

25

22

19

21

22

26

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?


South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

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?

29

28

37

46

54

46

50

45

35

35

22

14

14

7

17


Dog fouling

Rubbish and litter lying around

Roads and footpaths in poor condition

Pavements blocked by parked cars

Noise pollution


37

Environmental issues (2)

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

54

72

62

62

77

34

15

26

22

14

6

4

4

2

5

Vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property or vehicles

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

11

8

6

18

18

17

17

9

2

83

80

79

74

70

68

54

54

53

51

5

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

South Lakeland

±% Net Cumbria

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 370 South Lakeland residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

Appearance of streets

Libraries

Hospitals

Availability of GPs

Number of parks/green spaces

Quality of parks/green spaces

52

68

50

69

79

72

40

66

55

70

69

61

Children’s playgrounds 45 31

Local train services 38 29

Local primary schools 48 52

Leisure facilities for adults 36 30

39

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

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


±% Net South

Lakeland±% Net Cumbria

3

7

42

40

32

5

28

57

50

47

45

41

36

36

30

26

22

16

Public toilets

Local bus services

Local secondary schools

Opportunities for adult education

Leisure facilities for young people

-3

3

38

34

-2

-13

14

40

38

2

Suitable housing -35 -8

Social services 25 24

Fire/rescue services 44 50

Dentists -1 -4

Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 370 South Lakeland residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

40

4

11

6

11

10

8

17

91

90

89

88

86

82

80

78

8

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (1)

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



±% Net South


Libraries (230)

Social services (53)

Fire/rescue services (17)*

Hospitals (267)

Availability of GPs (324)

Number of parks/green spaces (259)

Quality of parks/green spaces (259)

83

72

77

62

74

87

81

84

64

86

64

73

80

72

Children’s playgrounds (118) 71 50

41

Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (2)

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

21

27

39

41

43

50

76

73

72

57

57

52

47

19



±% Net South


Public toilets (221)

Bus services (150)

Train services (176)

Adult education (74)

Leisure facilities for young people (65)

Leisure facs. for adults (161)

-3

18

52

45

8

57

-5

34

50

55

26

56

Dentists (251) 16 11

42

35

27

37

17

8378

8882

7671

7874

16

1010

2121

2119

13

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

South Lakeland (199)

Cumbria (1,178)


Cumbria (2,202)


Cumbria (1,861)


Cumbria (1,830)

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

43

31%

39%

31%

63%

11% 13% 15%13%18% 18%

50%

32%38%

12%6%

11%

Work (193)

Shopping (336)

Leisure (299)

Medical/clinic (281)

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%

3%7%

13%

42%

34%

53%

7%5% 4% 5%2%

6% 6%2%

26%32%

37%

21% 22%

15%13%14%

2%

Work (296)

Shopping (339)

Leisure (314)

Medical/clinic (319)

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

26

20

20

15

17

20

19

57

57

58

54

60

51

65

12

15

22

17

19

13

1

3

3

6

4

2

1

1

16

Happiness

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

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


South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

47

25

22

20

21

22

23

24

40

42

46

40

38

40

50

24

24

29

28

23

21

6

6

6

7

7

7

4

1

1

2

2

2

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…


South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

48

74

87

88

22

22

10

9

75

Disability

South Lakeland

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

South Lakeland

Cumbria

Long term illness, health problem or disability

Think of yourself as a disabled person

49

27%

33%

31%

38%

40%

33%

27%

Smoking

Q Do you smoke cigarettes at all nowadays?

% ‘Yes’

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

South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

50

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

Diet

68%

61%

69%

71%

76%

71%

66%

31%

36%

28%

26%

22%

27%

27%

5+Less than 4


South Lakeland

Cumbria

Allerdale

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

51

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

Alcohol consumption

14%

12%

Male (Drink more than 21 units per week)

Female (Drink more than 14 units per week)


52

32%

21%

31%

6%

4%

2%

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%

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

Less than once a month

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

53

5%

10%

35%

18%

14%

14%

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%

Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

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

25.9

25.7

26.6

25.6

26.7

26.1

26.0

25.1

24.1

24.7

25.1

25.4

24.2

24.7

FemaleMale

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Mean

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

55

8%

10%

9%

13%

8%

12%

10%

Obesity

% Obese

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

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

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

56

Q Which of the following best describes your sexuality?

Sexuality

80%

14%

17%

17%

13%

18%

23%

17%

85%

80%

79%

85%

78%

74%

2%

1%

3%

5%

3%

3%

3%

Not heterosexualHeterosexual

Allerdale

Cumbria

Barrow

Carlisle

Copeland

Eden

South Lakeland

Not stated


cumbria quality of life survey 2006 south lakeland district report

Documents

south lakeland residents

cumbria residents

south lakeland district

quarters of residents

half of residents

key findings

cumbria qol survey

cumbria quality of life