Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006 Barrow District Report

1. Cumbria Quality of Life Survey 2006Barrow 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 healthindicators - 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. • Liveabilityissues 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) 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 Barrow Cumbria The level of crime Clean streets Affordable decent housing Health services Job prospects Education provision Access to nature Parks/open spaces Public transport Wage levels/cost of living Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

11. Quality of life (2) Barrow Q Thinking generally, which of the things below would you say are most important in making somewhere a good place to live? Cumbria 2003/04 Cumbria BVPI The level of crime Clean streets Affordable decent housing Health services Job prospects Education provision Access to nature Parks/open spaces Public transport Wage levels/cost of living Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents

12. Improvements to local area Barrow Q And thinking about this local area, which of the things below, if any, do you think most need improving? Cumbria 2003/04 Cumbria BVPI % Top ten mentions Activities for teenagers Road/pavement repairs Clean streets Job prospects Level of crime Affordable decent housing Facilities for young children Level of traffic congestion Wage levels/cost of living Health services Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents; 1,137 BVPI 2003/04 residents

13. Importance vs. need for improvement % Most important The level of crime Clean streets Affordable decent housing Health services Job prospects Education provision Access to nature Parks and open spaces Activities for teenagers Public transport Wage levels and local cost of living Shopping facilities Road and pavement repairs Facilities for young children Race relations Level of traffic congestion Community activities Level of pollution Sports and leisure facilities; Cultural facilities % Most need improving Base: 314 Barrow residents

14. Satisfaction with local area Q Overall how satisfied are you with your local area as a place to live? Not stated Very satisfied Not at all satisfied Not very satisfied Fairly satisfied Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

15. Satisfaction with Cumbria and districts Q Overall how satisfied are you with your local area as a place to live? ±% Net satisfaction Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

16. Changes in local area Q On the whole, do you think over the last 3 years your local area has got better, got worse or stayed the same? % Better % Same % Worse Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

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%) Further responses: Transport (7%) Local amenities and facilities (5%) Housing and business development (2%) Community (2%) Other negative comments (8%) 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: Crime and safety (2%) Community (1%) Other positive comments (4%) Base: 314 Barrow residents

18. Influence over decision-making (1) Q To what extent do you agree with the following statements?‘I can influence decisions that affect my local area’ Not stated Strongly agree Strongly disagree Agree Disagree Neither/nor Base: 314 Barrow residents

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

20. Interest in the Council and decision making Q Which of these statements below comes closest to your own attitudes towards your district and county council? Barrow Cumbria 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 I like to know what the council is doing, but I'm happy to let them get on with their job I 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 Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

21. Involvement with Council 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 Male Female Age 16-34 35-54 55+ Working status Working Not working Base: 314 Barrow residents

22. Involvement with Council 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’ Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

23. Part 3: Community and Safety

24. Attitudes to neighbourhood Q To what extent do you agree with the following statements? % Disagree % Agree By working together people in my neighbourhood can influence decisions that affect their neighbourhood Barrow Cumbria In my local area people from different backgrounds get on well together (e.g. race, disability, social group) Barrow Cumbria Barrow I trust many or most of the people locally Cumbria Barrow I feel I belong to my local area Cumbria Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

25. Time spent on voluntary work Q If you have volunteered during the last year, roughly how many total hours have you volunteered, on average, per week? Less than 2 hours 2-5 hours 6-9 hours 10-13 hours 14 hours plus Base: All those who say they have volunteered in the last year (88)

26. Fear of crime Q How worried are you about being a victim of any type of crime in your local area? % Worried % Not worried Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

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

28. Perceptions of safety in local area (1) Q How safe or unsafe do you feel in your local area, i.e. the area within 15-20 minutes of your home? Cumbria% ±% Net safe 55 Outdoors after dark 92 Indoors after dark Outdoors during the day 94 95 Indoors during the day Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

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

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

31. Anti-social behaviour (1) Q How much of a problem do you feel that the following are in your local area? % Not a problem % A minor problem % A serious problem Teenagers hanging around on the streets Parents not taking responsibility for the behaviour of their children People using drugs People not treating other people with respect and consideration People dealing drugs People being drunk or rowdy in public places Crimes against your property Base: 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

32. Anti-social behaviour (2) Q How much of a problem do you feel that the following are in your local area? % Not a problem % A minor problem % A serious problem Deliberate rubbish/wheelie bin fires Noisy neighbours or loud parties Door step crimes People sleeping rough on the streets/other public places Abandoned or burnt-out cars People being attacked because of skin colour, ethnic origin or religion Base: 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

33. Tackling anti-social behaviour Q How well informed do you feel about what is being done to tackle anti-social behaviour in your local area? % Very well informed % Fairly well informed % Not very well informed % Not well informed at all % Don’t know Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

34. Effectiveness of the criminal justice system Q How effective do you feel the criminal justice system in Cumbria is in bringing offenders to justice? % Very effective % Fairly effective % Not very effective % Not at all effective % Don’t know/ not stated Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

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? % Not a problem % A minor problem % A serious problem Dog fouling Rubbish and litter lying around Pavements blocked by parked cars Vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property or vehicles Roads and footpaths in poor condition Base: 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

37. Environmental issues (2) Q How big a problem do you think the following environmental issues are in your local area? % Not a problem % A minor problem % A serious problem Neglected or derelict buildings or land Noise pollution The appearance or location of new developments State of the local river/ stream Air quality and traffic pollution Base: 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

38. Satisfaction with local services/ facilities (all residents) (1) Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area? ±% Net Barrow ±% Net Cumbria % Dissatisfied % Satisfied 75 55 Hospitals 67 70 GPs Number of parks/green spaces 63 70 Libraries 73 66 Quality of parks/green spaces 61 61 Local primary schools 61 52 Local bus services 48 14 52 29 Local train services Fire/rescue services 60 50 Opportunities for adult education 49 38 Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

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 Barrow ±% Net Cumbria % Dissatisfied % Satisfied Leisure facilities for adults 35 30 Children’s playgrounds 33 31 41 40 Local secondary schools Suitable housing 16 -8 Appearance of streets etc 4 40 -10 -4 Dentists 34 24 Social services Leisure facilities for young people 14 2 Public toilets -32 -13 Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow residents. Note: the chart does not include don’t know or not stated

40. Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (1) Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area? ±% Net Barrow ±% Net Cumbria % Dissatisfied % Satisfied Fire/rescue services (17)* 91 86 Libraries (165) 90 84 Hospitals (243) 80 64 Train services (143) 75 50 Social services (44)* 74 64 Number of parks/green spaces (198) 73 80 Quality of parks/green spaces (198) 72 72 GPs (282) 69 73 Base: All users. Base sizes in brackets above. * Small base size

41. Satisfaction with local services/ facilities among users (2) Q How satisfied are you with the following services or facilities in your local area? ±% Net Barrow ±% Net Cumbria % Dissatisfied % Satisfied Bus services (203) 62 34 Children’s play areas (117) 56 50 Leisure facs. for adults (114) 53 56 Opportunities for adult education (54) 44 55 Leisure facilities for young people (81) 47 26 Dentists (219) -5 11 Public toilets (139) -15 -5 Base: All users. Base sizes in brackets above. * Small base size

42. Forms of transport Q Please list your main form of transport for different journeys on a typical weekday: Public transport Car/motorbike Pedestrian/cyclist Barrow (159) Work Cumbria (1,178) Barrow (300) Shopping Cumbria (2,202) Barrow (275) Leisure Cumbria (1,861) Medical/ clinic Barrow (276) Cumbria (1,830) Base: All those who travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

43. Distances travelled Q Please list how many miles you travel for different journeys on a typical weekday: Under 3 miles 3-4 miles 5-8 miles More than 8 miles Work (153) Shopping (297) Leisure (261) Medical/clinic (251) Base: All those who stated how far they travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

44. Time travelled Q Please list how much time it takes you to travel for different journeys on a typical weekday: None >15 mins 15-29 mins 30-59 mins 1-2 hours <2 hours Work (236) Shopping (303) Leisure (274) Medical/clinic (285) Base: All those who stated how far they travel. Base sizes in brackets above.

45. Part 5: Health and Well-being

46. Happiness Q Taking all things together, would you say in general you are…? % Very happy % Happy % Neither/nor % Unhappy % Very unhappy Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

47. Health Q Over the last 12 months, would you say that on the whole your health has been… % Very good % Good % Fair % Bad % Very bad Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents

48. Disability 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? % No % Yes Barrow Long term illness, health problem or disability Cumbria Barrow Think of yourself as a disabled person Cumbria Base: 2,133 Cumbria residents; 314 Barrow residents

49. 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. Diet Q On a typical day, how many portions of fruit and vegetables do you eat? Less than 4 5+ Barrow Cumbria Allerdale Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Base: 2,133 Cumbria; 314 Barrow; 373 Allerdale; 362 Carlisle; 325 Copeland; 389 Eden; 370 South Lakeland residents