3. Town and parish Councils Survey
This survey was sent to all 66 town and parish councils in East Devon. It was sent out by email and a copy was also sent in the post as a reminder. In total, 38 town and parish councils responded (58 per cent).
Key outcomes
Please note scores may not add up to 100 per cent as sometimes people do not express a view either way.
Overall, 54 per cent were satisfied with the way we run things (16 per cent were dissatisfied and 30 per cent were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
Keeping East Devon an outstanding place
- 80 per cent are satisfied with the refuse and recycling service, 12 per cent are not. Of those, the majority want us to collect cardboard and all plastics.
- 43 per cent are satisfied with off street council car parks, 35 per cent are not - mainly because they want more off street car parking for residents and more free car parking.
- 37 per cent are satisfied with planning services and 42 per cent are not - mainly because they want us to act on what they say about planning applications and planning issues.
- 64 per cent are satisfied with parks, public gardens, play areas and open spaces, 7 per cent are dissatisfied.
- 11 per cent feel litter, rubbish, vandalism and graffiti is a big problem, 89 per cent feel it is not a big problem or not a problem at all.
- 57 per cent agree we are using our natural landscape and countryside to encourage more visitors and tourists to come here, 15 per cent disagreed.
- 35 per cent agreed we are increasing job opportunities in the west of the district by encouraging new businesses to base themselves near the new town of Cranbrook, 24 per cent disagree.
- 41 per cent agree we are making towns better places to live by regenerating them, 12 per cent disagree.
Well-being and safety
- 91 per cent feel levels of pollution are not a very big problem or not a problem at all - for example traffic fumes, noise, bathing water, contaminated land is a big problem.
- 53 per cent say we are good at helping to improve general housing conditions, 6 per cent feel we are poor.
- 27 per cent say we are good at meeting local housing needs by enabling new affordable housing, 33 per cent feel we are poor at this as more affordable housing is needed for local people.
- 84 per cent say we are good at managing and maintaining council homes, 15 per cent say we are poor at this.
- 45 per cent say we are good at dealing with homelessness, and none think we are poor at this.
Overall
- 65 percent agree that we respond quickly when asked for help, 9 percent disagree.
- 75 per cent feel that we do not act on what they say about planning matters (either not much or not at all); they feel their local knowledge and input is ignored.
- 13 per cent say we act on what they say about issues other than planning a great deal, 71 per cent feel we act on what they say about issues other than planning a fair amount and 17 per cent say we do this either not very much or not at all.
- 65 per cent say we provide value for money, 8 per cent say we don’t.
Parishes Together Fund and section 106
- 62 per cent say the Parishes Together Funding has been effective and 82 per cent agree we should keep contributing to it.
- Of those that had been involved in spending Section 106 money on sport and play 69 per cent are satisfied with the way it is done.
Communication with us
- 84 per cent say we keep their town and parish council well informed.
- 64 per cent say the website is good, 17 per cent that it is poor.
You as a town or parish council
- 81 per cent are confident in using their powers, 3 per cent are not.
- 89 per cent know what powers their town or parish council has, 3 per cent don’t.