Your views needed for community survey

Residents are being given the chance to share their views on life in Darlington in the community survey 2018.

A small, representative, randomly selected number of residents across the borough will receive a copy of the survey over the next few weeks whilst others will be asked to answer the questions on their doorstep.

The survey asks for feedback on a range of issues including satisfaction with the local area and services; community safety; the local economy; health and wellbeing and contact with the Council. The answers will help the Council find out what residents’ value most about the borough, what they think the Council’s priorities should be and where they would like to see improvements made.

Anyone aged 18 or over living in a house that gets the survey can complete it and all replies should be returned asap. The survey can also be answered online using the information in the covering letter. All those who send back their surveys, and give their details, will be entered into a prize draw to win £50 of high street vouchers.

The survey is being run on behalf of the Council by NWA Social and Market Research and representatives from the company will be calling on some residents to ask them the survey questions at home. All interviewers will have an ID badge, if you are unsure about the identity of someone claiming to be from NWA please call Freephone 0800 316 3630.

Bill Dixon, leader of the Council, said: “The community survey is an important way of finding out what people think about life in the borough – from the economy and public services to health and community safety. Anyone taking part in the survey will be helping to shape the future of our Borough and I would urge everyone who receives a copy, or who is asked to take part, to have their say.”

The Government encourages councils to carry out community surveys so they understand local views when they make decisions. Darlington Council last carried out a community survey in 2013.