What you said, what we are doing
What we asked you
The BedsVoice Panel has been consulted on a variety of topics since June 2007.
The feedback from these consultation are provided below.
Joint Council Survey |April 2008
Community Safety Forum findings| 2008
Adult Education Survey & Reflector Group| Spring 2008
Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour in Ampthill & Biggleswade| January 2008
Parents Handbook Focus Groups |January 2008
Outdoor Access Survey |October 2007
Blue Light Survey| Summer 2007
Joint Council Survey |Summer 2007
Library Opening Hours |Summer 2007
Bedfordshire Cultural Strategy| Summer 2007
Newsletters
BedsVoice Newsletter Summer 2008| (pdf document opens in new window).
BedsVoice newsletter Winter 2007| (pdf document opens in new window).
In April 2008, all BedsVoice panel members were sent a postal questionnaire to get their views about Bedfordshire as a place to live, their local councils and the services they provide.
The BedsVoice panel partner organisations were also keen to understand local priorities and to measure the most effective ways of communicating with the local population through this survey.
To find out the views of BedsVoice panel members on living in Bedfordshire please see the Joint Council Survey 2008 Report| (pdf document opens in new window)..
2008
Early in 2008 the Mid Beds Crime Reduction Partnership set up two pilot Community Safety Forums in Biggleswade and the Ampthill, Maulden and Millbrook areas. A telephone poll with BedsVoice panel members was carried out to help discover local concerns in these areas and check knowledge of the Forums.
Ampthill’s main issues were speeding motorists, anti-social groups of youths and litter; in Biggleswade they were anti-social groups of youths, vandalism and a lack of police presence. The Community Safety Forums picked up on these and are working on tackling anti-social behaviour in both areas.
In Ampthill most people thought that crime was below the county average and that the town had low level of crime, with less than 50 crimes. In fact some crimes such as criminal damage are over this with 163 reported in 07/08, whilst others like domestic burglary are lower (20 in 07/08). In Biggleswade they thought their crime level was the same as the county average and estimates varied widely between 100 and 1000. For some crimes the actual level was 300 for criminal damage and 30 for domestic burglaries in 2007/08.
In both areas half of those called thought the police and council were dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime that matters, 1 in 5 disagreed in Ampthill and 1 in 4 in Biggleswade. Half the people in Biggleswade thought we were seeking people’s views on the subject, though this fell to just over one-third in the Ampthill area, with the majority disagreeing. In both areas, though, one-third of people had already heard about the Community Safety Forums.
Further research will be taken in 2008 to see what impact the actions of the Community Safety Forums are having.
1,219 BedsVoice citizen panel residents were interviewed over the telephone about their awareness and perceptions of adult education. A reflector group was also held.
Only 16% of those interviewed had heard of the SPARK - Bedfordshire Adult Education Service, however most said they had seen the adverts when they were shown to them. Half of the respondents thought that the adult education courses were aimed at people preparing for new jobs.
The county Council needs to work on developing the SPARK brand to ensure consistency and identification of SPARK as adult learning. SPARK advertising campaigns will be targeted specific groups of people and will also be broken-down into themes rather than advertising everything at once.
More work will be carried out with young people and minority groups to understand their awareness and perception of adult learning.
To view the report for this survey please see the Adult Education Telephone Survey Report| (pdf document opens in new window) and the Adult Education Reflector Group Report| (pdf document opens in new window).
In January 2008, Mid Beds District Council carried out a telephone survey with BedsVoice panel members living in Biggleswade, Ampthill, Maulden & Milbrook to get views about crime and anti-social behaviour in these areas. Results are currently being collated for this consultation.
Parents Handbook Focus Groups 2008
3 focus groups were carried out with parents on the design and content of a new handbook detailing all support and information available to parents. The focus groups were designed to ensure that the handbook met the needs of parents and is designed in an effective manner.
On a hugely positive note there was strong agreement from at least half of the attendees that there was a genuine gap in the market for information and advice for parents of children aged between 5 -13 years old.
Many felt there was little available and many relied on schools, friends and family, word of mouth generally and for those with children aged 0-5 years old, the health visitors. Many felt that information they received was too disjointed and although you could source bits of information from here and there, the area lacked something definitive.
Information that parents felt was important and often missing was centred on health and social issues such as bullying, drugs etc.
The lack of information provision mentioned most frequently was centred on education with issues such as choosing the right school, choices available, play groups in the area, term times and what activities are going on.
Generally all were in agreement that in the main the content for all 14 of the sections was relevant and about right in terms of subject matter although there were suggestions about each of the 14 sections.
The vast majority (all but 2) preferred the name ‘You and Your Child’.
Most agreed that distribution through schools and playgroups was a very good idea and would therefore achieve wide coverage. This was also seen as a cost effective approach.
All felt it should be also made accessible online and available in doctor’s surgeries and the usual distribution points.
Probably the most relevant thoughts came from two groups who felt very strongly about making the document a long lasting, hardback document that parents would want to keep and put on their bookshelf. Many referred back to the NHS 0-5 book which is issued at birth and most said this is the right time to distribute and the better it looks and feels the more people will treat it as an important resource.
The handbook is now being finalised and will be available soon.
To view the report for these focus groups, please see the Parents Handbook Summary Report 2008| (pdf document opens in new window).
In October 2007, Bedfordshire County Council carried out a telephone survey with 1,100 BedsVoice panel members to understand residents current use of the countryside and how important it is to them.
To view the report for this survey please see the Outdoor Access Survey Report| (pdf document opens in new window).
Bedfordshire County Council are currently considering these results.
In August 2007, all of the BedsVoice panel members were sent a postal questionnaire to get their views about the police and fire and rescue service. This survey covered issues such as experience and fear of crime/ anti-social behaviour, neighbourhood policing, police priorities and fire safety in the home.
To find what the BedsVoice panel members thought about the Bedfordshire Police Authority and the Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service, please see the Blue Light Survey August 2007 |(pdf document opens in new window).
The level of crime in Bedfordshire has stayed about the same over the last 12 months according to 64% of our survey respondents, with just 21% feeling that it has increased; in the same period nearly a quarter of you had been a victim of, or witnessed, a crime.
We learned that most people (86%) feel safe walking alone during the day but after dark this figure drops to 41% and you feel that the top three crime problems are criminal damage, traffic offences and house burglaries.
When we asked you about anti-social behaviour you told us that the top three problems are teenagers hanging around on the street, street litter and vehicle related issues. Just under half (47%) of you feel that the level of anti-social behaviour has remained about the same, but 39% think that it has increased over the last year.
Although 39% were aware of a Neighbourhood Policing Team in their area, disappointingly over half of you (54%) were not and 42% did not know how to contact either a police officer or a PCSO. This clearly illustrates the need for more effective communications about neighbourhood policing.
More pleasingly however, almost half (49%) agreed to some extent with the statement ‘my local neighbourhood police are working effectively with people in the community to tackle crime and anti social behaviour.’
It was confirmed that people are keen to see more police on the beat in order to address both crime and anti-social behaviour. People also want to see better street lighting and more speed and CCTV cameras. In areas where people felt that crime issues were being addressed, they put this down to increased police visibility and ASBOs, helping to make the area quieter as a result.
People were divided on whether or not they got value for money from the police, with 39% feeling that that they did and 34% feeling that they didn’t. Just over a quarter were willing to pay more towards policing. You also told us that you feel the money should be directed to reducing overall crime, responding to incidents, detecting crime and providing neighbourhood policing.
Your answers will be used to influence the police planning process for the next year as we seek to improve Neighbourhood Policing, reduce crime and increase the number of detections.
The postcode details of the Blue Light Survey have been used to break the data down into Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) areas. All SNTs have now received their relevant local data results and are using the findings to measure effectiveness of local policing service, and plan local initiatives.
Here are some further updates from the Fire and Rescue Service in response to the Blue Light Survey 2007.
You said
90% of people responding to the survey had not noticed a change in the level of service and around a third of respondents felt that between 5 and 10 mins was an acceptable time for the Fire and Rescue Service to attend an incident from the first point of contact.
What we've done
The time currently falls between 5-8 mins on average.
You said
We were delighted to hear the average number of working smoke alarms fitted in respondent’s homes was 2; with over a third claiming they tested their alarms on a monthly basis. Unfortunately the majority of respondents stated that they never changed their smoke alarms. The lifespan of a smoke alarm is generally 3-5 years.
You said
‘6 weeks is too long to wait for a home fire safety check to be carried out and install smoke alarms’
What we're doing
We wholeheartedly agreed with this statement. In April 2008 we invested £50k into this worthwhile project. Our aim is to carry out home fire safety checks and install smoke alarms within a 2 week period. To help achieve this, we have employed additional staff to the Home Fire Safety Team who will cover specific targeted areas throughout the county.
We are currently working in partnership with 9 other agencies and organisations that act as our ears and eyes within the community, providing us with information on residents and areas that are deemed vulnerable. These include the elderly, single parents, disabled and those living in bed sits and high rise flats.
You said: ’We are unsure of the modern fire-fighters role’:
What we're doing
Within the 2008/09 Council Tax precept leaflet we took the opportunity to highlight some of the basic details i.e. number of whole time and retained stations, fire-fighter training, costs of fire engines and fire-fighters equipment and uniform costs. Our new website Bedsfire| (opens in new window) also takes the opportunity to outline general facts about the Service and initiatives, events, partnerships and community forums.
Advertisements have been placed in the ‘Beds on Sunday’ and other local newspapers on some of our partnership working initiatives and road shows. We will be inviting residents and businesses to join in the fun with forthcoming community station open days, suitable for all the family.
You said ’We are unsure as to a women’s suitability as a fire-fighter’
What we're doing
BLFRS are fully committed to promoting equality for men and women. We believe that the more diverse the workforce is and the more closely it reflects the community the better placed we are to develop and deliver services that closely reflect the needs of the community
We asked one of our new female recruits to write down her thoughts on the subject. She wrote:
'Without doubt this has been the most difficult and challenging aspect of my professional career that I have ever undertaken, and the most fulfilling. The combination of physical and academic content is without exception demanding, however, it is as challenging for all students whether they are male or female. Never once did I feel I was at a disadvantage due to my gender. I was treated with equality, fairness and dignity throughout the course.'
'I have developed pride in being part of the Fire and Rescue Service. Undertaking physical tasks, learning new academic material, working closely in a team have been factors in me feeling I can make a positive contribution as part of a public service. I speak with full respect of the Service, and of the people in it, they are commendable and unique, and as a female, I would feel a great sense of pride of being accepted as part of that community.'
We have held several successful awareness events in Flitwick, Bedford and Luton aimed at female recruitment and their roles within the Fire Service. There will be several more events planned for 2008/09.
Joint Council Survey 2007
In July 2007, all of the BedsVoice panel members were sent a postal questionnaire to find out their views about their councils and the services they provide. The questionnaire covered topics including information and communication, local landscapes, climate change, waste and recycling, housing and highways.
To find out the views of BedsVoice panel members please see the Joint Council Survey Report 2007| (pdf document opens in new window).
Residents told us what they thought were priorities for improvement in Bedfordshire. Areas like roads, attracting visitors, jobs and affordable housing were all priorities. The priorities for Bedfordshire’s Community Strategy have been aligned to the residents priorities.
The survey also confirmed that residents were still unhappy with the state of the roads in Bedfordshire and that they don’t think the County Council provides good value for money. Therefore County Council is continuing to invest in road maintenance for 2008/9 and find more efficient ways of working.
Around a third of the panel cited the countryside as the thing they like best about Bedfordshire. There is a strong message that rural planning and care and management of the landscape - its habitats and historical features and unspoilt views, are really important to residents.
The survey information and evidence of what is important to the public will be extremely useful to us to help promote importance of retaining Bedfordshire's varied and beautiful landscape.
Residents were unclear how much of their council tax goes to each of the local services (District Council, County Council, Police and Fire Services). All of the partners need to be clearer about where their money comes from and how it is spent. Most residents preferred to get this information with their council tax bill.
Library Opening Hours 2007
1,125 members of the BedsVoice panel were consulted via a telephone survey on the opening hours of Bedfordshire libraries.
To find out the views of BedsVoice panel members about library opening hours, please see the Bedfordshire Library User Survey report. Library Opening Hours June 2007 Report| (pdf document opens in new window).
Barry George, Head of Libraries said: "The benefit of using the Citizen's Panel was that we were able to get a fast response from a cross-section of the Bedfordshire community. It meant we were getting responses from both users and non-users of the Library Service which gave a more balanced response than if we had just asked users.
Barry added: "The results will now form the background to a Committee report on opening hours with recommendations for how we might adopt the findings from the survey. Overall the exercise was a very efficient and cost-effective way of testing the views of the community."
In May 2007, all members of the BedsVoice panel were sent a questionnaire by post to find out their views on the proposed Bedfordshire Cultural Strategy. 9 focus groups were completed to find out the views of young people, people from ethnic minorities and people with a low income.
As well as consulting with the BedsVoice panel, the views of the general public were sought through surveys left at libraries, museums and galleries throughout Bedfordshire.
3 reflector groups were held to reflect on the results of the consultation on the Cultural Strategy.
To find out what you told us about cultural services in Bedfordshire, please see the Bedfordshire Cultural Strategy Consultation Report. Cultural Strategy Report July 2007| (pdf document opens in new window).
Charlie MacNally, Director of Community Services at Bedfordshire County Council said: “Not only did the citizen panel give us a general feel of what residents thought of the strategic direction of cultural services but also gave us invaluable in-depth data about their own cultural activities.
“BedVoice members were highly motivated to respond to the survey and attend the focus groups. This enabled the Cultural Partnership to have a clear view of resident opinions and a clear profile residents’ participation in cultural activities .
The Cultural Strategy has now been accepted by the Bedfordshire Cultural Partnership and a detailed action plan is being developed.
Charlie MacNally added: “The strategy covers three broad themes as a direct reflection of what residents told us:
“1. Making facilities and services easy to access – This was the top priority for residents, to ensure all cultural facilities are accessible and affordable to all.
“2. Bedfordshire having its own identity - Focus group participants were keen to ensure that public funds were not spent duplicating arts and sports facilities that are currently available in nearby towns like Milton Keynes and Cambridge. Instead residents wanted the Partnership to concentrate on making these types of facilities more accessible.
“3. Making sure current facilities are here to stay - The public consultation found a very high level of participation in countryside activities by all ages and abilities of residents. 93% indicated they walked, cycled and rode using footpaths and bridleways. 74% of residents want to use more footpaths/ bridleways. The strategy aims to protect and conserve the current provision and increase the networks quality and range.”
Thank you to all of you who have responded to the surveys that have been carried out so far. Your views are very important to us, and help inform our decisions.