1,100 Fenland citizens sought to give their views on community, transport, health, young people and council services

Cambridge County Council’s third annual survey launches this week to understand and track residents’ views.

Initially launched in 2023, the annual survey tracks the responses over time so local feedback gives councillors and decision makers vital insight when they make business planning decisions.

It also means they can see how changes to decisions and policies – and the work of other public sector bodies in the county – affect people’s views across Cambridgeshire.

The online and telephone-based 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.

The 20 minute online and 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 the five Cambridgeshire districts.

The survey asks residents about their views on topics such as life and community, transport, health and wellbeing, children and young people, the council, and its services.

In previous years, the survey has highlighted that most residents feel happy, safe and have a sense of belonging, believing that Cambridgeshire is a good place to raise children. However, it also highlighted that roads and pavement maintenance, the cost of living and mental health and loneliness are areas of concern.

The information gathered from the survey has already been used to feed into the council’s business plan and budget processes and allows it to benchmark and track the impact of its seven strategic framework ambitions.

This year, there are two questions to help introduce the concept of local government reorganisation to residents and provide an early indication of awareness.

There is an opportunity for everyone to take part if they want to, with the survey available via www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/quality-of-life-survey

The survey will remain open into the summer, and it will close on Monday, July 21. The responses will then be collated and fed back to councillors and the public in the autumn. The results will help inform council meetings and 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.