Northumberland national park 'good place to live'
3 out of 5 respondents think the National Park Authority is doing a good job. National Park Residents’ Survey goes online Friday 30th July
Results from Northumberland National Park Authority’s residents survey, now available online, indicate that most residents are very satisfied with the 405 square miles of protected landscape as a place to live, and believe that Northumberland National Park Authority is doing a good job overall.
The survey, which polled all residents in April and received a 21% response (173 households), explored a wide range of information to help the Authority continue to improve its service to the communities and businesses in the area.
As well as factual information about residents’ housing needs; energy use; access to services such as telecoms and affordable energy, and involvement in community affairs, the survey looked at how residents perceived and judged the National Park Authority’s service.
Looking at the National Park as a place to live and work, ninety per cent of respondents indicated their satisfaction, placing it within the top 10% places in the country, and over fifty per cent expressed a sense of belonging to their community of average or higher.
When asked about what makes the National Park a special place, the majority overwhelmingly cited the landscape, tranquillity and wildlife. Community spirit and neighbourliness were also strongly highlighted in the comments.
Northumberland National Park Authority has always championed community involvement, and set this as a goal with its Action Area working approach adopted in 2006 in which it provides advice and support to help community projects get up and running.
It is notable that six out of ten residents already give unpaid help to clubs or organisations within their community, and this suggests that there is a great deal of good will and self-determination to call upon in the rural communities of the National Park.
One area of concern for the National Park Authority is the level of influence that people feel they have over decisions made by public bodies which affect their local area.
Only 13% of respondents felt they were able to influence decisions taken by any organisation.
This is the lowest score nationally and stands out as a real challenge for the Authority and its partners in the coming year. Thirty-one per cent of residents said they would like to be more involved in decision-making, and a further sixty-one per cent would like to be called upon depending on the issue.
It is hoped that the National Park Forum, which this year takes place in Bellingham on 14th October, will be a place where this and other issues of community involvement can be explored.
Tony Gates, Chief Executive of Northumberland National Park Authority said:
"We are very pleased that so many people have taken the time to help us understand their real needs and concerns.
The information will help us to work towards improving the services residents and businesses receive from ourselves and others. In the last few years we have made a big effort to be a listening Authority and to provide opportunities for people to tell us what they think.
Clearly we still have some work to do in making it easier for more people to make their voices heard, but it is important that we now know where focus attention."
Before its next public meeting on 15th September, the Authority will further examine the reasons for the sense of lack of influence and proposals to address these will be put to members.
Suggestions from the public before that date will be welcome and considered.
When asked about their understanding of the National Park Authority’s role, it was strongly felt that this was to conserve the landscape (80%) and the majority thought that this was the single most important role of the Authority (48%).
People also judged the Authority to be doing a pretty good job, with sixty to seventy per cent scoring average or more and about one-third agreeing or strongly agreeing to the following propositions: The National Park Authority...
• is in touch with local people
• gives good support to local communities
• gives good support to local businesses
• responds in a timely way when you contact them
• listens and responds to residents’ opinions
• keeps you well informed
• gives good advice?
• makes good planning decisions
Forty per cent of residents thought the Authority did a very good job of keeping them informed, and most received information from local newspapers or newsletters. It was interesting to note that 30% of residents found out about the work of the Authority at National Park Centres.
