Survey draws mixed response

Residents in Wyre Forest had mixed feelings about the standard of their council's services, according to the latest satisfaction survey.

A Government satisfaction survey asked 1,264 residents to rate their key council services. The survey is conducted every three years with the council improving in four areas and declining in two.

Resident satisfaction for sport and leisure facilities was up from 52 per cent in 2003/04 to 65 per cent; waste recycling rose from 62 to 74 per cent; litter and refuse cleanliness rose from 56 to 62 per cent and the quality of parks and open spaces rose from from 71 per cent to 75 per cent.

The areas which declined were waste collection dropping from 79 to 66 per cent and overall satisfaction was down from 53 to 50 per cent.

When asked to identify their top priorities for improvement in the district, 49 per cent said the level of traffic congestion, 44 per cent road and pavement repairs and 43 per cent wanted more activities for teenagers.

And 73 per cent said they were satisfied with their local area as a place to live, with only 11 per cent saying they were dissatisfied.

The council's cabinet member for finance, councillor John Campion said: "We are delighted with the continued increase in resident satisfaction for the majority of our key service areas.

This is a reflection of our on-going commitment to listen and engage with the users of our services. We value input from the residents of Wyre Forest and will use the results to further improve services.

"Over the next month, we shall be analysing all of the results. We are disappointed that our overall satisfaction rating is slightly down. However this appears to be a national trend. We will continue to improve the way District Council services are delivered, investing in areas such as the recently opened Worcestershire Hub customer services centre in Kidderminster Town Hall."