Findings from the 2009 Quality of Life survey Voscur Assembly Create Centre, 3 rd March 2010 Sarah McMahon Consultation and Research Co-ordinator Consultation, Research and Intelligence Team, Bristol City Council

Contents About the survey 2009 Summary of trends Interpretation of specific indicators Influencing local decisions Satisfaction with the neighbourhood Happiness and life satisfaction Trends in neighbourhood partnership areas Equalities groups Key web sites and contacts Questions and answers

Annual Quality of Life (QoL) survey Annual postal survey started in 2001 – unique to Bristol and viewed as good practice Responses from 5,700 residents in 2009 Boosting in areas which don’t respond well Detailed analysis ( wards, equalities groups and trends) Report and mapping database Issues covered: Community cohesion Fear of crime and anti-social behaviour Harassment, discrimination Environmental quality Healthy lifestyles Happiness and wellbeing Satisfaction with services and facilities

Summary of trends for 2009 (to date) Getting better or staying good  Community safety, ASB, victims of crime and policing  Community cohesion (respect, responsible parenting)  Neighbourhood satisfaction (litter, fly tipping)  Park and playground quality  Bus service  Healthy lifestyles (smoking, healthy eating)  Facilities for disabled people and older people Staying the same – no trend  Satisfaction with life and happiness  General health (long term illness and obesity)  Influencing decisions  Satisfaction with the council Getting worse, staying poor  Drunk and rowdy behaviour  Taking moderate exercise  More people claiming benefits

Interpretation of the evidence Feeling influential about local decisions (NI 04)  Only 23% of residents feel influential  Bristol ranks bottom for core cities (2008)  The ward pattern is similar each year with many residents in the same areas feeling less influential  People feel more influential in BME groups (31%), in Southville, Bishopston and Ashley (all over 36%) More residents living in east Bristol feel less influential

Ward trends Feeling influential about local decisions (NI 04) Avonmouth (26%)Kingsweston (21%) Ashley (36%)Easton (30%) Lawrence Hill (27%) Bishopsworth (17%)Hartcliffe (24%) Whitchurch Park (22%)

Interpretation of the evidence Satisfaction with the local neighbourhood as a place to live (NI 05)  Bristol has measured an improving trend and 80% of residents are satisfied  Bristol is 2 nd best of the 8 core cities (75%) and is the same as the England average (80%)  Residents in deprived areas are least satisfied (67%) and the Muslim community (66%). The gap in satisfaction between deprived areas and the rest the city, is closing

Interpretation of the evidence Happiness and life satisfaction  Happiness and life satisfaction are very stable indicators and reflect the national averages for these (91% and 74% respectively)  Happiness and life satisfaction are both lowest for disabled people (79% and 53% respectively), and in both Lawrence Hill and Filwood.

Avonmouth and Kingsweston Declining satisfaction with appearance of the built environment Declining sports activity and access to sports centre Improving fear of crime and less ASB Better facilities for older people Ashley, Easton, Lawrence Hill Declining sports activity and exercise Improving fear of crime, ASB, people using drugs Less noise in the neighbourhood More visits to parks (Easton) Neighbourhood trends Bishopsworth, Hartcliffe and Whitchurch Park Declining sports activity and exercise Improving fear of crime, ASB, people using drugs Less noise in the neighbourhood Improving neighbourhood satisfaction & park quality Declining litter and refuse problem

Equalities: Relationship between groups Women:  Fewer feel safe at night  More are claiming benefits  Fewer are overweight and obese  More women are carers but fewer feel supported, compared to men Older people:  Age discrimination is the most common form of harassment or discrimination  More feel influential and ‘belong’ to their community  Over 40% have long-term illness or disability  Fewer people aged over 50 years are victims of crime BME people:  Feel they are more influential  Experience greater discrimination due to race and faith  Have lower life satisfaction  Less satisfied with the state of repair of their homes

Key web sites and contacts Quality of life report Bristol Data Profiles (maps)  Quality of life database  Crime levels  Educational achievement  Economy – benefit claimants 2001 census statistics Deprivation in Bristol Quality of life team / :   

Questions and Answers