Consultation and Engagement Hub

We asked the residents of Reading to identify their concerns across Reading

The top 5 issues identified by the survey across the Borough were:

1. Drugs (1^st in 2019 & 3^rd in 2017)

2. Parking Issues (2^nd in 2019 & 1^st 2017)

3. Motorbike and vehicle nuisance (Potholes were 3^rd in 2019)

4. Flytipping

5. Burglary (4^th in 2019) Speeding was 5^th in 2019 & 2017

We have shared these results with the local Safer Neighbourhood Forums and the Community Safety Partnership

The Safer Neighbourhood Forums are now working on the priorities that were identified for their local areas.

What changes can be made to the draft SPD to improve clarity, provide helpful guidance for shopowners and improve the design of shopfronts and high streets throughout the Borough?

There was widespread support for the SPD’s aim and contents. 15 written representations were made and resulted in improvements to the text. A summary of each representation and the resulting changes to the document is available here.

The amended document was formally adopted on 17^th January 2022 and is available here.

In Autumn 2021, Marketing Means were commissioned by the Council to undertake a representative sample survey of 1,000 residents via telephone and in-street interviews. The purpose of the survey was to gauge levels of satisfaction with the local area, the Council and the services it provides.

Generally, the 2021 results are either consistent with or better than those in 2020. For example, satisfaction with the way RBC runs things is up 2% to 66%; agreement that RBC provides value for money is up 10% to 54%.

Reading’s results are higher than those from the national LGA survey in terms of satisfaction with the way RBC runs things (66% compared with 56% nationally) and agreement that Reading Borough Council provides value for money (54% compared with 43% nationally).

However, satisfaction with individual services is generally lower than in 2020 (following the national trend), and broadly similar to those from the LGA survey. Highest satisfaction is with parks and green spaces; highest dissatisfaction is with road maintenance.

A summary of results can be found here at Appendix 12.

The annual Residents' Survey provides insight to the Council to ensure that service improvement is carried out and that services are designed around feedback from residents.

Residents were asked about the areas which needed most improvement. The top three - and how Reading Borough Council is responding to those concerns - are:

• 38% told the Council roads and pavement repairs were their priority: Over the past three years the Council has invested £9 million on Reading’s largest ever repair programme which will see 436 residential roads and many more pavements resurfaced. The Council is proposing a further £8 million road repair investment over the next three years in its latest budget
• 26% said level of crime concerned them the most: The Council continues to work with Thames Valley Police colleagues carrying out a strategic assessment of crime issues in the borough and putting in place a new Community Safety Plan focused on reducing the level of serious crime
• 26% also said affordable decent housing needed the most improvement: The Council is investing £88 million to build more than 300 new affordable homes over the next four years, reducing the housing waiting list and providing affordable rent properties to local residents, including provision for adult social care, sheltered housing and Reading’s essential key workers. A further £34 million is being spent on low carbon measures up to 2030 to improve energy efficiency in Council homes.

Please click here to read the full press release on the Residents Survey.