New Survation poll shows continued trust in local councils for service delivery

Our latest public opinion survey  for APSE finds that local councils remain the most trusted to deliver essential services in people’s local areas. The annual poll, conducted online between 18 and 19 October, found that trust in local councils was slightly higher than last year, and significantly higher than trust in national government and private companies. In addition to being the most trusted to make decisions about how services are delivered in their local area, councils were also the most trusted to make decisions about local planning. 

Despite challenges such as funding cuts and declining satisfaction with certain services, it was notable to me, when attending this year’s Performance Networks Seminar, that councils have remained committed to providing essential services and making good (while often difficult) decisions that benefit their local areas. The continued trust in local councils that shows up in the data is a testament to the hard work and dedication of councils and their employees in serving their communities.

In addition to being the most trusted to make decisions about how services are delivered in their local area, councils were also the most trusted to make decisions about local planning. When asked who they trusted most to make these types of decisions, a majority of respondents (54%) chose local councils, compared to just 14% who chose the government. This trust was also reflected in the public’s willingness to allow councils to spend their taxes, with 76% of people wanting more money for local councils, compared to just 13% who wanted more money spent at a national level.

Satisfaction levels with specific council services were broadly similar to last year. Parks, waste and recycling collection, and leisure and sport facilities scored highly, with satisfaction levels of 85%, 75%, and 73% respectively. However, satisfaction with school meals and social care services saw a significant decrease, with satisfaction levels dropping to 79% (a decrease of 7%) and 51% (a decrease of 8%) respectively. 

Despite this decline in satisfaction with certain services, the public still trusts councils to deliver local services over private companies and the government. When asked who they trusted most to deliver local services, 51% chose councils, compared to just 14% who chose private companies and 9% who chose the government.

When asked about the decline of local services in recent years, a significant proportion of respondents (38%) said that both local councils and the government were equally responsible for the decline, while 33% blamed local councils and 27% blamed the government. Despite this, the public still recognises the important role that councils play in providing and delivering services, with social care, road maintenance, and waste and recycling collection being the top three choices for extra funding.

When asked which services are the public’s priorities for funding protection,  Social Care (76%), Road Maintenance (75%) and Waste and Recycling collection (72%) are the local services the public would most like councils to prioritise if spending cuts are needed to be made. Housing (66%), Street Cleaning (64%) and School Meals (61%) followed in terms of which services to prioritise. 

Climate change remained a priority for respondents, with 70% expecting local communities to have to respond to its effects in their area, and 54% supporting additional funding for councils to tackle the issue. The survey also found that the public sees councils as better equipped to respond to the challenges of climate change than the government. When asked who they thought best placed to take action on climate change, 38% of respondents chose councils, compared to 29% who chose the government. This indicates a strong desire for local action on climate change, and a recognition of the important role that councils can play in addressing this global issue.

In summary, this year’s survey highlights the continued trust in local councils to provide and deliver essential services in people’s local areas. Despite challenges such as funding cuts and declining satisfaction with certain services, the public still trusts councils to make decisions about how services are delivered in their local area and to spend their taxes wisely. As the most trusted governmental institutions, local councils have a crucial role to play in addressing the challenges facing their communities and tackling issues such as climate change. 

Damian’s presentation on the findings of the poll from the APSE Performance Networks Seminar 2022 is available below:

Download presentation on poll findings (pdf)