LANGPORT COMMUNITY SURVEY

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

1. Introduction

Langport Town Council has a responsibility to be well-informed about diverse local views. In order to represent the interests of the town’s electors and users effectively, it must first get an idea of what those interests and priorities are. Knowledge of what local people think and feel about the town will enable councillors to:

· Speak on behalf of the town with greater confidence

· Provide the services and facilities that people want (within its powers)

· Support community action and services provided by others

· Work in partnership with community groups, voluntary organisations, other local authorities, including neighbouring councils, to benefit the community

For this reason the Town Council agreed, at its meeting of June 2011, to conduct a survey to establish the views of residents and users of Langport.

2. Methodology

A working group was appointed by the Council to take forward the idea of conducting a simple survey of local opinion. Councillors Dunn, Kerswill, Naden and Saunders formed the group.

The agreed method was to use a short questionnaire (Appendix A) which was published in the September issue of The Leveller free newspaper. The Council agreed that the deadline for replies should be mid-October, with a report to the full Council at the December meeting.

Furthermore, it was agreed that responses could be made by individuals or by consultation with community groups, and by hard copies or by email.

3. Response data

In all, 105 people contributed to the survey. The charts below show a breakdown of respondents by age, area of residence and method of response.

3.1 Responses by method

76 of the 105 respondents completed individual questionnaires. Of these, 70 returned paper questionnaires and six responded by email.

29 people made contributions as part of community groups: The Ridgway Hall Youth Group, Langport Events Group and Transition Langport.

The chart below shows all responses, by percentage:

3.2 Responses by age group

18 people under the age of 25 responded to the survey. The chart below shows the distribution of all responses, by age group.

3.3 Responses by home location

Of the responses to the survey, 41 (39%) came from Langport residents. Other responses came from neighbouring parishes, mainly Huish Episcopi, Curry Rivel, High Ham, Drayton and Kingsbury Episcopi.

In addition, 16 respondents indicated that they work in Langport.

4. RESULTS

4.1 Respondents were asked to say what they LIKE about Langport.

All respondents replied to this question. Chart 4 below summarises what is most liked: the countryside and the river, the local shops and cafés, the friendliness of the community and the range of services available in the town, eg. vet, surgery, garage, post office, library. Further analysis is shown in the breakdown of the method of response.

Chart 4: What respondents most liked about Langport

Other comments included:

· A bit Bohemian

· Trees on the town island

· Seems to be a lot going on

· No one-upmanship

· Somerset Art Weeks

· The bridges – new and old

· The allotments

· Having a Council that is actively trying to find out what residents think

· The Angel and Art Tea Zen - good initiatives

· The Bow Street ‘lean’

· The lack of graffiti and the rarity of anti-social behaviour

· It feels safe everywhere any time of the day or night

· The buzz that the market traders bring to Fridays: it just feels good and people smile!

4.2 Respondents were asked to say what they LEAST LIKED about Langport.

Again, all respondents replied to this question. The most prominent dislikes are summarised in Chart 5 be-low. Traffic issues (heavy lorries, non-compliance with the speed limit), the shabby appearance of parts of the town, lack of good public transport links, dangerous pavements and smells were most often mentioned. Once again, further analysis is shown in the breakdown of the method of response.

Chart 5: What respondents least liked about Langport.

Other comments in this section included:

· Too many “public spaces”, none of which are used to their full extent, for example the opening of The Angel when the Old Wharf is not fully utilised

· Can be boring – little entertainment available

· Skatepark problems – when the leaves fall and when it rains it is too slippery

· The parade needs to be cosier

· Dislike Tesco and the new roundabout

· Lack of a railway station

· Poor parking facilities at the United Reform Church

· On street parking/delivery vehicles an issue

· Expansion – too many houses going up too fast

· Cars (parking) = visitors/customers = prosperity

· Bigotry and prejudice against older/disabled/ethnic minority people

· One respondent, aged over 25, has an 87 year old mother who is terrified when on Bow Street/Cheapside

4.3 Respondents were asked to tell the Council what improvements they would like to see. Chart 6 below shows the most frequently suggested improvements.

Chart 6: Suggested Improvements

Other comments include:

· Better plumbing, TV signal

· Better places for free running

· Horse and cart in summer

· More arts, cultural events

· Maintain its difference, ie: independent shops rather than chains

· Pub with riverfront terrace

· A hardware and shoe mender's shop

· A zebra crossing near Fosters

· Fairtrade status

· A modern outlook from the Town Council

· A town plan – and a joint plan with Huish Episcopi

· We miss out on Langport news – Portfield

· A one way street

· Dropped kerbs are not opposite each other

4.4 Respondents were asked if there was anything else they wanted the Council to know.

24% of respondents gave additional information.

Comments were:

· Better wheelchair access on main road

· Council should give more assistance/encouragement to local groups

· Improve disabled parking – maybe on “fantasy island” as has no other use

· I am delighted Langport is beginning to “wake up”

· Hope the hours of the library won’t be cut too much

· Protection/provision of weekly services for elderly residents

· I like the new openness of this Council

· Don’t know what the Council is responsible for or what influence it has over decisions at county level. I propose a regular surgery so people can discuss issues outside the council meetings in an accessible venue

· See a published account of the Town Council income and expenditures

· More use of renewable energy

· I feel the council should improve its communication to the community

· Need to know what the Town Council does

· I feel the roundabout is a complete waste of money

· Communications could be improved from the Council

· The youth club is really good

· What does the Council use our council tax on?

· Salary of town clerk seems expensive

· Like more info about when the Council meets, what is discussed and how to make our concerns/requests known

· The Dolphin sign merits conservation

· Consider people not rules

· A unified Council and community website instead of two separate ones

· Renewable energy, effective communication from Langport Town Council, what does the Town Council do? Join Huish Episcopi Parish Council and Langport Town Council as the community is as one

· Keep Langport Town Council vibrant and approachable, more communication, Council could be the hub of local bodies as a co-ordination role, a town plan is important – joint with Huish Episcopi Parish Council, better website

· Reopening of railway station should be a precondition for any more major house building

5. SURVEY WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL

RECOMMENDATION ONE

We suggest that two working groups - involving local people and Councillors (including representatives of the District and County) - are set up to consider ways to address issues highlighted in the survey.

Group One: Traffic and transport

Public transport provision, including trains

Traffic issues, including enforcement of the lorry permit scheme

Dangerous pavements

Group Two: Enhancement

Scruffiness

Smells/sewage problems

Litter and rhine clearing

River usage  

RECOMMENDATION TWO

To encourage local producers and fair trade stalls (local farms and smallholdings etc) to display and sell their wares in the town with a minimum of red tape.

RECOMMENDATION THREE

To put the best-supported recommendations from the survey feedback into a community plan. This plan may also include our neighbouring parish of Huish Episcopi, as the two parishes are grouped together as one entity under the District Council’s Core Strategy.

Councillors Dunn, Kerswill, Naden and Saunders

January 2012  

Appendix A

LANGPORT TOWN COUNCIL

Parish Survey

To ALL Langport residents (young and old) and to those who use the services of the town.

Langport a great place to live and work, and your views could help the newly-returned Langport Town Council make it even better. Councillors are keen to listen to your comments. The council wants to connect with residents, community groups, local businesses, neighbouring parishes and the District and County councils to plan for the future of your Town.

Use this form (or continue on a separate piece of paper) or send an email telling us:

1. What you most like about Langport.

2. What you least like about Langport.

3. What improvements you would like to see in Langport.

4. If there is anything else you want the Council to know.

5. The town or village where you live and the town or village where you work.

6. Your full contact details if you are happy to provide them.

7. Whether you are under or over 25 years old.

It would be helpful to have responses to this survey by mid October. Findings will be published and posted on the Langport Town Council website.

How to return your responses:

Please either deliver or post to Langport Information Centre, Bow Street, Langport TA10 9PR marking your envelopes ‘LANGPORT SURVEY’ or email: clerk@langport-tc.gov.uk