Thursday 14:38
Councils must use new devolutionary powers to better engage their communities, meet their ambitions and improve public satisfaction, Local Government Minister Phil Woolas said today.
Public satisfaction with councils is higher when people feel better informed and have the opportunity to participate in decision making. However despite rapidly improving services new figures from the Best Value User Satisfaction survey will show a continuing decline in public satisfaction with local councils since 2000.
Nationally, only 54% of the population are satisfied with the way their council runs things, down by one percentage point from the last survey in 2003/04 and a fall of 11 percentage points over the past six years. This is in stark contrast with the improving satisfaction with many individual services that the survey shows, and the Audit Commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment which shows continuing improvement in local government:
* 73% of people are now satisfied with their parks and open spaces, up by 2 percentage points on 2003/04;
* 79% are satisfied with their waste disposal, up by 4 percentage points;
* 70% are satisfied with recycling services, up by 2 percentage points;
* 58% are satisfied with sports and leisure facilities, up by 4 percentage points.
* 73% are satisfied with library services, up 6 percentage points.
Responding to the survey Phil Woolas said that new powers currently going through Parliament are an opportunity for councils to engage local communities and improve satisfaction levels.
Phil Woolas said:
"Local government has a good story to tell with local services improving significantly over the last ten yeas - largely thanks to the hard work of frontline council staff and the real terms increase in funding.
"But these new figures show we cannot take the public for granted, we must find new ways to engage with people and meet their ambition. That is why we are devolving unprecedented levels of power through our new Community Call for Action, greater community management and ownership of assets and more powers for frontline councillors to give people a greater voice.
"The figures speak for themselves. Where councils communicate effectively with their residents to ensure people know what is going on and have a voice and are involved in decisions, people are more satisfied overall. However the views of local people have not kept pace with improvements and we need to change that.
"So my message is clear. Councils cannot cut crime, improve job prospects and address the issues communities care about on their own. This can only be achieved with local partners and local people. Government has made this possible so the opportunity is there to be seized."
Devolutionary measures contained in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, currently making its way through parliament, give councils the tools to be able to engage with the communities and tackle local issues. These include:
- New Powers for Parish councils to fix byelaws and issues £80 fixed penalty fines for those who break them;
- New powers for local people to call their council to account on local issues through the 'Community Call for Action';
- A new duty on councils to involve communities in the delivery of services where appropriate;
- Encouraging councils to provide councillors with small budgets to address local issues quickly.
The survey also shows differences across the country. People in the South East are the most satisfied with their council services - 55%, with people in the East, East and West Midlands, South West and London in line with the national average - 54%. People in the North East are just under the national average with public satisfaction running at 53%. Those least happy with their council services - 51% - live in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Notes to Editors
1. To view the full Best Value User Satisfaction Survey please go to http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1510806
Summary of Best Value Performance Indicator Results: * 54% satisfied with the overall service provided by the local authority - a decline of 1 percentage point since 2003-04.
* 34% of complainants satisfied with the handling of their complaints - an improvement of 1 percentage point since 2003-04.
* 68% satisfied with the cleanliness standard (keeping land clear of litter and waste) in their area - an improvement of 8 percentage points since 2003-04.
* 79% satisfied with household waste collection - a decline of 5 percentage points since 2003-04.
* 70% satisfied with waste recycling (local facilities) - an improvement of 2 percentage points since 2003-04.
* 79% satisfied with waste disposal (local tips) - an improvement of 4 percentage points since 2003-04.
* 58% satisfied with sports and leisure facilities - an improvement of 4 percentage points since 2003-04.
* 73% satisfied with libraries - an improvement of 6 percentage points since 2003-04.
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 4400; News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY GNN EAST MIDLANDS
Client ref CLG/EM 131/07
