Our second annual countywide survey launches this week, as part of a three-year County Council-led project to understand and track local views about the Quality of Life in Cambridgeshire.
This year’s survey seeks the feedback of 5,500 residents and is being run in partnership with Cambridge Ahead, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and South Cambridgeshire District Council. This means that local feedback will help inform even more decision makers across the area.
Running the survey again this year will not only give Councillors and decision makers vital insight when they make business planning decisions, it will also mean we can see how changes to decisions and policies – and the work of other public sector bodies in the county - affect people’s views in an annual snapshot of life in Cambridgeshire.
The 15min telephone survey is run by an independent market research company, Thinks Insight. The company aims to speak to 1,100 people over the age of 18 living in each of Cambridgeshire five district areas – broadly representing each area’s population.
Like last year, market researchers will also talk to people from specific groups who are less often heard from including migrants, those who have been homeless and people from Gypsy/Roma/Traveller communities. Additional work will also be undertaken with younger people though the Council’s youth engagement teams.
2023’s survey highlighted that most residents felt happy, safe and a sense of belonging, with residents believing that the area is a great place to raise children. However, it also highlighted that loneliness was far higher than national average in Cambridgeshire. Younger people – those aged 18-25 – were most likely to report loneliness, they also reported more struggles with their mental health.
Councillor Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for residents to let us know what matters to them, quickly, easily and in detail – and to have their feedback reach more decision makers than ever. Last year’s survey offered us vital information on people’s perceptions and views, just as our councillors began the annual process of setting our business priorities and service budgets.
“We’re keen to understand the needs, desires, and experiences of residents from all walks of life. We’re not just asking for thoughts on our services but critical wider issues like climate change, the cost of living, employment, education, housing and well-being as we look to become a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire.”
There is an opportunity for everyone to take part if they want to, with the survey available via the County Council’s website: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/quality-of-life-survey-2024.
Survey activity will continue over the summer with the results collated and Councillors and the public updated in the autumn. This means the results can help inform Council’s meetings from September onwards, as Members begin to discuss priorities for the years ahead.
If you are approached, the market research team’s commissioned service Team Search will identify themselves as working on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council and will give contact details which allow people to check their purpose. No one will be asked for identifying personal details, or any financial information.