You've said it - Stratford District is a great place to live

The vast majority of residents in Stratford district believe it is a harmonious place to live and in general are happy with the local area.

The results come from a two-yearly Place Survey which all councils undertook on behalf of the government in the last three months of 2008.  It looked at peoples views, perceptions and experiences of their area and over 1,800 district residents responded to the survey. 

88% of people in Stratford district were satisfied with their local area as a place to live, 92% were satisfied with their home as a place to live, and 85% of people believed that people from different backgrounds get on well together.

Compared with other districts in Warwickshire, Stratford residents are more likely to be involved in decisions that affect the local area and they are more likely to feel they can influence decisions.

Many Stratford district residents help by volunteering with one in three having volunteered at least once a month in the last year, putting the district in the top 20 areas in the country.

Residents also feel that compared with two years ago the problem of anti-social behaviour in the district has lessened, particularly drunk or rowdy behaviour and people using or dealing drugs and almost three quarters of residents felt informed about how their council tax is spent.

Of the services provided by the District Council, satisfaction rates for street cleaning and doorstep recycling are amongst the highest in Warwickshire.  However satisfaction with parks and gardens has fallen 10% and reflecting national trends so has satisfaction with the Council to 45%; most notably in Stratford rather than other areas in the District.

The main areas that residents felt needed improving were activities for teenagers, road and pavement repairs, and the level of traffic congestion.

Leader of the Council, Les Topham said, "Some of these results are pleasing especially regarding decision making, although I know this is an area we need to improve on.  I have always said that I will listen to everyones views and take on board comments and am committed to work for the good of the community for instance the proposed bridge in Stratford, the car parking charges in the surrounding villages and setting a lower Council Tax than expected."

"It is clear the District Council has seen a tremendous amount of activity, building on previous years' improvements.  The challenge now is to try and build on these results and make sure people remain happy living here in Stratford District.  I will not be complacent, the current economic climate means there are tough times ahead with even tougher decisions to be made and I trust our District residents understand.  Surveys like this help us to act to make improvements and focus our efforts." 

Chairman of the Stratford Local Strategic Partnership, Charles Goody said, "I am delighted to see that the combined efforts of the many Stratford District partners and volunteers are delivering an environment that meets the needs of our community."

"However we must continue to strive to improve further.  Working with the community the Strategic Partnership has defined a sustainable strategy for the future developments. That strategy should enable the continuing needs of the community to be met. Working together we can deliver that continuous improvement. Thus ensuring that Stratford continues to be a good place in which to live and work. We will continue to engage with the whole community to ensure that developments meet the needs and aspirations of everyone."
 

The survey was carried out during October to December 2008; the results are based on 1,846 completed replies to the survey for the Stratford District area a response rate of 47.2%.

The Place Survey has superseded the Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI) Satisfaction Surveys and has more of a focus on place rather than Council Services. 

Councils have a statutory requirement to undertake the survey every two years.

The survey was conducted via postal self-completion questionnaires.

You can view the full results here.