Consultation and Engagement Hub

We asked for your views on our initial concept ideas on 4 schemes:

• Bath Road/Castle Hill (Southcote Lane – Inner Distribution Road (IDR)/Castle Street)
• London Road (Borough Boundary to London Street)
• Shinfield Road (Christchurch Green – Shinfield Rise)
• Southampton Street (Pell Street/Crown Street –Bridge Street/Fobney Street)

Out of the 928 responses recieved, the Shinfield Road scheme was the best supported and least opposed scheme.

We obtained approval from the Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport Committee on 30th June 2021 to progress the Shinfield Road scheme. We will now commence the detailed design stage.

In December 2020 we shared three potential designs for the refurbishment of Cintra Park Children’s Playground. We asked residents to vote for their preferred option and leave their comments.

The results of the public vote can be seen in the table below:

• Cintra Park is well used and in need of refurbishment, it’s tremendous news that it is receiving investment 
• Not all items of equipment are wheelchair accessible within the designs, as they do not have linking paths
• Play panels provide a range of stimuli for children of all abilities, please could more be provided
• Pleased to see accessible play facilities, it would be wonderful to see accessible play equipment for older children
• Cintra Park needs to remain secure during works on site

Based on your feedback, we awarded the playground refurbishment contract to HAGS. 

HAGS’ design already included an abundance of equipment, however we worked with them to take on board feedback provided. All items of equipment within the playground will be wheelchair accessible, through the provision of linking paths. An additional three play panels were added to the original design, giving a total of five play panels.

We ensured there is a mix of equipment, for all ages and abilities. However, Cintra Park is not a destination park, significant destination parks are: Palmer Park, Prospect Park, Christchurch Meadows and John Rabsons Recreation Ground.

We are working closely with HAGS and RBC parks team to ensure that Cintra Park remains secure throughout works.

Next steps

Works will start on site on the 19th March and take approximately eight weeks to complete.

In Autumn 2020, Opinion Research Services (ORS) were commissioned by the Council to undertake a representative sample survey of 1,000 residents via telephone. The purpose of the survey was to gauge levels of satisfaction with the local area, the Council and the services it provides.

When compared to our citizens panel survey of 2018, the results are very positive (although comparisons should be made with caution due to the different methodology used in 2018). However, the results are slightly lower than those from the Local Government Association (LGA) national survey, as they often are for more urban areas:

• 77% of residents said they are satisfied with their local area as a place to live (compared with 65% in the 2018 survey, 83% in LGA survey)
• 64% said they are satisfied with the way the Council runs things (compared with 38% in the 2018 survey; 68% in LGA survey)
• 45% agreed that the Council provides value for money (22% in the 2018 survey; 54% in LGA survey)

The things that respondents thought are most in need of improving are:

• road and pavement repairs (47%)
• the level of crime (32%)
• the level of traffic congestion (30%)
• affordable decent housing (26%)
• parking (24%)

The results have been considered in the development of the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2021/22.

Road and pavement repairs again came out as the highest priority area in terms of needing to be improved – 47% of responses, compared to 58% in 2018, which indicates an improvement in the period which correlates to the Council’s investment in highways infrastructure. The Council has committed to invest £14.5m in the Council’s local highways infrastructure (including bridges) over the period 2021/22-2023/24 to continue to address this resident priority.

We’re refreshing our Community Safety Strategy and introducing a new Housing Strategy that outlines plans to improve access to good quality housing they can afford, within a thriving neighbourhood.

Our Local Transport Plan outlines investments in walking and cycling initiatives, public transport, and electric vehicle infrastructure that will make it easier for residents to make healthy choices, and feel the benefits of clean, green neighbourhoods.