1 Gayle Higginson Research Manager JN 2012 Public Satisfaction Survey 2014 Research presentation prepared for: Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service November 2014

22 Report Structure Objectives and methodology Headline findings Satisfaction with services Information on a major emergency Service priorities Collaborating Funding

3 Objectives 1.Gauge current perceptions of the Service among the general population. 2.Understand current public expectations of the Service. 3.Understand how members of the public would prefer to receive information about the Service in order to better inform an overall communications strategy. Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service wished to conduct research in to perceptions of the Service among the general population in order to: A combination of quantitative and qualitative research was used. Quantitative face to face survey 831 face to face interviews 10 minute survey 17 surveys completed online Covering four Boroughs within Cheshire Cheshire East – 214 interviews Cheshire and West Chester Halton Warrington Age group: % of respondents %23%35%20% Gender 46%54% Disability 13%

444 Report Structure Objectives and methodology Headline findings Satisfaction with services Information on a major emergency Service priorities Collaborating Funding

5 Service priorities 5 Satisfaction Overall residents feel that they receive good value for money from CFRS, appreciate and are satisfied with the services that are provided by CFRS. Service priorities Residents appreciate the importance of many of the services provided by CFRS; they tend to prioritise the services they see as life-saving such as responding to incidents involving fires, helping to tackle major incidents and responding to road traffic collisions. Focus group participants could not always understand the connection between CFRS and some of the services that it provides (working with young people and to benefit older residents for example). Once the rationale was explained the connection became clear; however there was quite a strong opinion that some services were better suited to organisations other than CFRS (Age UK and Social Services were noted).

6 Collaboration 6 Residents would like CFRS to remain independent but work with other agencies When shown three possible options for the future, participants strongly favoured CFRS staying as an independent service working closely with other authorities. The main advantages were perceived to be: Streamlining services is a ‘smart’ way to work. This will allow CFRS to concentrate on the activities that residents see as core to the Service.

7 There is something about Halton… 7 Residents of Halton have a far more positive view of the Service than people living in any other area: They have a greater knowledge of what the Service offers. They are more satisfied with the service provided by CFRS. They are more likely to know what to do in an emergency. They are more likely to believe that the Service offers value for money, and to support a one-off increase in Council Tax. Further research may be required to understand what is unique about Halton. If this can be established then cases of best practice can be shared across the Borough.

88 Report Structure Objectives and methodology Headline findings Satisfaction with services Information on a major emergency Service priorities Collaborating Funding

999 One in four residents lack awareness of what the Service offers (Base n=848) Knowledge of the service was highest in Halton and amongst older participants: 92% of the residents of Halton were either very or quite well informed of the service compared with 67% in Cheshire East and 66% in both Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington. 79% of those aged 65 or over were also very or quite well informed. Q3. How well informed do you feel about the services provided by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service?

10 Less than 0.25% were dissatisfied with the overall performance of the Service (Base n=848) Q6. Taking into account everything that you know about the service, how satisfied are you with the overall performance of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service? Satisfaction with the service was highest amongst: Residents of Halton (93% were very satisfied with the service compared with 44% in Warrington, 58% in Cheshire East and 61% Cheshire West and Chester). Participants with a disability (77% vs. 61% of those without a disability were very satisfied with the service). Not very satisfied = less than 0.25% Not at all satisfied = 0%

Benchmarking data 11 In 2012 Cheshire Police reported overall customer satisfaction. In common with other Fire and Rescue Services, CFRS benefits from very high levels of public satisfaction. Out of 848 participants just two said that they were not very satisfied with the performance of CFRS. (This information has not been included in the main body of the report as it equates to less than 0.5%). The following information has been included to add context; however comparisons should be treated with caution as much of the data that is in the public domain is from surveys that have been completed with service users whilst this survey includes non-service users. 89% satisfied 90% satisfied, 10% unable to comment In 2013 Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue reported on satisfaction with services 99% satisfied (average over fire safety audit, HSC, after incident domestic and non- domestic) 90% satisfied, 10% unable to comment

In 2011 general satisfaction was calculated for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. 90% satisfied 90% satisfied, 10% unable to comment In 2011 value for money was calculated for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. 84% value for money 97% value for money In 2013 West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service reported overall customer satisfaction. 98% satisfied 90% satisfied, 10% unable to comment Benchmarking data

13 Benchmarking data The 2008 National Place Survey also asked residents to say how well informed they felt about what to do in the event of a large scale emergency. There has been a dramatic increase for each authority Figures were calculated for each authority in 2008 % very or fairly well informed Cheshire East11% Cheshire West and Chester13% Halton18% Warrington11% Figures for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service were much higher for each authority in 2014 % very or fairly well informed Cheshire East70% Cheshire West and Chester66% Halton94% Warrington61%

14 Just 1% placed little value on the Service (Base n=848) Q5. How much value do you place on the services provided by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service? 83% Value in the service increased with age: 68% of those aged 18 to 29 valued the service a great deal compared with 84% aged 30 to 44, 89% aged 45 to 64 and 88% of those aged 65 or over. None at all = less than 0.25%

15 Almost two thirds were aware of recent national strike action which has not had an adverse effect on the views of residents Residents of Halton were most familiar with the strike action. 82% knew either a great deal or a little about the action compared with 64% in Cheshire East and 54% in both Warrington and Cheshire West and Chester. Q16. How much do you know about the recent national strike action undertaken by members of the Fire Brigades Union in relation to changes to the Firefighters Pension Scheme? (Base n=848) Q17. Has this period of industrial action changed your view of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service? (Base n=531)

16 Report Structure Objectives and methodology Headline findings Satisfaction with services Information on a major emergency Service priorities Collaborating Funding

17 Potentially one in five residents would not know what to do in an emergency (Base n=848) Those living in Halton felt better informed than all other participants. 42% said that they were very well informed compared with: 20% in Warrington 21% in Cheshire East 25% in Cheshire West and Chester. Q1. How well informed do you feel about what to do in the event of a major emergency, for example: major flooding, terrorism, chemical incidents?

Mean Score Most would speak to family, friends or neighbours or trust television coverage to find out about an emergency Q2. Would you use the following sources of information to find out more about a major emergency? (Base n=848) A comparatively low number of people would use the CFRS website, however they do not seem to be reluctant to use websites in general (52% would definitely do this). The low figure may be attributed to a lack of awareness of the existence of the CFRS website. Television coverage Local radio Local newspapers Social media Internet websites CFRS website Family, friends & neighbours Yes - definitelyMight useDefinitely / probably not Balance = % Don’t know’

19 Report Structure Objectives and methodology Headline findings Satisfaction with services Information on a major emergency Service priorities Collaborating Funding

20 Awareness was high for many services Q4. Do you think that Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service currently undertake the following activities? (Base n=848) Provide fire safety advice and fit smoke alarms Respond to road traffic collisions Help to respond to major incidents Undertake fire prevention work in the local community Provide fire safety advice to businesses Rescue people from water Mean Balance = % Don’t know’

21 (Base n=848) Work with young people Rescue trapped animals Respond to some medical emergencies Prosecute businesses who don’t comply with regulations Educate people on road safety Q4. Do you think that Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service currently undertake the following activities? Mean Balance = % Don’t know’ Awareness of CFRS’s involvement in educating people on road safety was relatively low

22 Differences in knowledge of the services that Cheshire Fire and Rescue provide were found amongst the Unitary Authorities. 22 Cheshire East95% Cheshire West and Chester94% Halton99% Warrington95% % do Respond to road traffic collisions Cheshire East85% Cheshire West and Chester84% Halton95% Warrington90% Cheshire East65% Cheshire West and Chester49% Halton83% Warrington72% Cheshire East77% Cheshire West and Chester72% Halton91% Warrington76% Respond to medical emergencies in certain locations Educates people on road safety Involved in prosecuting businesses that do not comply with fire safety regulations

23 Participants felt that the ‘life saving’ services were the most important (Base n=848) Help respond to major incidents Respond to road traffic collisions Undertake fire prevention work Respond to some medical emergencies Q7. How important to you is it that Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service carry out each of the following? Provide fire safety advice and fit smoke alarms Rescue people from water Mean Balance = % Don’t know’

24 (Base n=848) Provide fire safety advice to businesses Work with young people Educate people on road safety Prosecute businesses who do not comply with fire safety regulations Rescue trapped animals Q7. How important to you is it that Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service carry out each of the following? Mean Balance = % Don’t know’ Although still important, CFRS’s roles in education and offering advice are of lower significance

25 Residents believed that CFRS should prioritise what they saw as the core service – putting out fires (Base n=848) Q8. In your opinion, which should Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service consider to be its top three priorities?

26 In the quantitative survey five services were seen to be important however relatively few participants selected these services when asked to select three as priority services. Fitting smoke detectors and alarms within the local community. Ensuring premises comply with fire safety law. Working with young people to prevent anti-social behaviour and offending. Undertaking work to benefit the health and wellbeing of older residents. Fire prevention work with local communities. Some similar comments were made about each service: The particular service is not included in what participants perceive to be the main responsibilities of CFRS. As participants were only allowed to select three services they prioritised services where CFRS was responding to emergency situations. Qualitative research looked at why some services were important – but not a priority

27 Times have moved on and participants felt that perhaps this service ties up valuable resources, especially as smoke alarms are already installed in many homes. Participants agreed that the Service should look at business premises to familiarise themselves with their layout in case of a major fire. However they were not convinced that the enforcement aspect should be the responsibility of the Service, especially fire fighters. The question asked about anti-social behaviour and offending and so participants felt that those completing the survey would believe that this is the responsibility of the Police. One group believed that if the survey had been completed by a greater proportion of retired people, then significantly more would have made this a priority. Fitting smoke detectors and fire alarms - 92% important vs. 21% priority Ensuring premises comply with fire safety law - 82% important vs. 16% priority Working with young people - 87% important vs. 7% priority Undertaking work to benefit the health and wellbeing of older residents - Selected as a priority by 8% Fitting smoke detectors and fire alarms - 92% important vs. 21% priority Ensuring premises comply with fire safety law - 82% important vs. 16% priority Working with young people - 87% important vs. 7% priority Undertaking work to benefit the health and wellbeing of older residents - Selected as a priority by 8% The groups also tried to find an explanation for why nearly all respondents were aware that CFRS responds to road traffic accidents, yet only 61% knew that the Service educates people on road safety. The main conclusion was that the Service is very visible when they attend a road traffic accident, but this same visibility is not achieved in their role as an educator. Different suggestions were made for each mis-match

28 When asked to comment on what CFRS should take into account in the next five years, 55% could not make a suggestion 28 Q9. What do you think Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service should consider when they make plans for the next five years? (Base n=848)

29 Report Structure Objectives and methodology Headline findings Satisfaction with services Information on a major emergency Service priorities Collaborating Funding

30 Residents would prefer CFRS to remain independent, sharing non- emergency services with other agencies Q10. How far do you agree with the following statements? (Base excludes ‘Don’t know’ n= 662 to 682) Greater support from younger participants. 68% aged 18 to 29 compared with the average of 57%. Greater support from younger participants. 61% aged 18 to 29 compared with the average of 41%.

31 Q11. Please think about the following scenarios and place them in order where 1 is your preferred option, 2 is the next best solution and 3 is the one that you like the least. (Base n=848) A comparatively high percentage of residents of Halton selected this as the preferred option. 80% vs. 67% in Cheshire West and Chester CFRS remaining independent was the preferred option

32 Over half supported sharing each resource with the greatest level of endorsement shown for sharing support staff and resources Q12. Thinking more about collaboration, which parts of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service would you support sharing with other services? (Base excludes ‘Don’t know’ n= 637 to 654) Mean = 2.81 Mean = 2.76 Mean = 2.57 Mean = 2.56

33 Report Structure Objectives and methodology Headline findings Satisfaction with services Information on a major emergency Service priorities Collaborating Funding

34 Almost all residents felt that they receive good value for money from the Service Q13. Cheshire Fire Authority currently levies £69.09 per year in Council Tax for a Band D property. To what extent to you agree or disagree that this represents value for money? (Base excludes ‘Don’t know’ n= 792) Residents of Halton found the greatest value for money in the service. 82% strongly agreed that the service provides value for money compared with 49% in Cheshire East

35 The majority would support a proposed one-off increase in Council Tax if this allowed service improvements Q14. For the past two years, Cheshire Fire Authority has increased the amount of Council Tax it charges by 1.99% (about 3p a week). How likely are you to support a further one-off slightly larger increase if it meant that they could improve their services? (Base excludes ‘Don’t know’ n= 762) Residents of Halton found the greatest value for money in the service, and were most likely to support a one- off increase. 75% were very likely to support the increase compared with 42% in both Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester

36 One quarter of residents would support an increase of as much as 10% Q15. What level of increase would you support? (Base excludes ‘Don’t know’ n= 553)

Report prepared by Gayle Higginson, Research Manager Get in touch +44 (0) or For more information, visit our UK or French websites: