Ashford really is best place
Ashford’s residents are happy with where they
live and feel safe according to results of a national survey. Over
84% of residents are satisfied or very satisfied with the area as a
place to live and place the borough the best in Kent for low
perceptions of anti-social behaviour, drunkenness and drugs as a
problem.
Residents placed Ashford Borough Council
second in Kent for providing value for money and the borough second
highest in the county for people treating each other with respect
and consideration, parents taking responsibility for the behaviour
of their children and the police and borough council dealing with
crime and anti-social behaviour.
The results also place Ashford in the top
third in Kent for 11 out of 18 other key issues and show that 15
out of 17 national performance indicators surveyed (88%) are equal
to or better than the English average.
The Place Survey is a national survey
conducted by all local authorities on behalf of the
Government. The survey aims to find out what people like and
dislike about the area they live in and the public services that
they receive. The survey results help public services judge how
effective they are at making a difference to individuals and the
community as a whole.
The survey, carried out last autumn/winter, asked local people
for their views on a wide range of issues, from their use of local
services to their general health and well-being, from support for
older people to tackling crime, as well as information on levels of
participation in the local community.
Results are used to help public services, and the people and
organisations they work with, to better understand local issues,
measure progress and performance and set policy and priorities for
the future. The survey is carried out every two years enabling
public services to monitor how perceptions change over time.
Council Leader Paul Clokie welcomed the
results saying: “I am very pleased to see the majority of our
residents are happy with where they live and that they feel safe. I
am also delighted that resident’s views have placed Ashford Borough
Council second in Kent for providing value for money.
“We will consider the results with our
partners to see where further improvements can be made.”
Media release 0108/09
12/08/09