Citizen's Panel Newsletter

Spring 2008

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This is the latest Citizens’ Panel update where we tell you about the results from our Spring 2008 survey. Thank you so much to those of you who completed the questionnaire for us. We hope that you find the results useful and that you will continue to share your views with us in the next survey or via the link below so that we can continue to make informed decisions when planning and developing services across the council.

In this newsletter:

• Tameside Radio
• Using a Computer
• Refuse Collection
• Services for Children and Young People
• Bereavement Service
• School Meals
• Water Fluoridation

A Local Voice on 103.6FM

Tameside Radio wanted to use our survey to find out who its listeners are, how many people around Tameside had heard of them, and when people listen to it the most. Since it has only been on air since September 2007, the radio station is still very new and they are keen to know and expand its audience.

The results showed that overall, 71% of respondents said they had heard of Tameside Radio before receiving the Panel questionnaire and half of these (34%) had also listened to it.

What are we doing with the results?

Tameside Radio are using the results to look at how they can target their audience, capture more listeners and tailor their radio programmes to your needs.

For more information on Tameside Radio log onto: www.tcrfm.com

Do You Have the IT Factor or is it Just a ‘Web’ of Dreams?

Tameside Council wants to deliver fast, efficient services that are in keeping with, or ahead of its time. We wanted to know how you would feel about accessing our services online.

The results showed that the majority of you felt confident when using a computer (71%). A minority of 15% said you felt ‘not very’ or ‘not at all’ confident. In terms of the Internet, 72% of you said you have a Broadband or other Internet connection.

Out of a list of websites on the internet:

• A greater proportion of you have used YouTube  (39%), followed by Wikipedia  (31%).
• Facebook  is used most regularly (38% almost every day), followed by blogging sites, such as Blogger  (36%).

What are we doing with the results?

• We have used these findings to feed into our eTameside Strategy and Transformation Strategy. These are long term plans that aim to support and provide modern, up to date services for Tameside residents.
• We’re using your feedback to see how we will develop the use of Second Life, a 3D virtual world where users can socialise, connect and create using voice and text chat. This online network provides a new channel for local business opportunities and for increasing the accessibility of services.
  

What a waste!

We looked at how much we waste as a society and what we could do about it. We wanted to use your views to see what we could do next to improve the service we deliver – to reduce our waste and increase our recycling!

82% of you were satisfied with the waste collection service overall, compared to just 65% for recycling. Most of you said you used your blue bin (83%), whereas the red sacks were used less often (52%).

What are we doing with the results?

• We are looking to see how we can ensure that households use the bins they have been given and are only provided with the ones they need. For instance only 52% of you who have a red sack happen to use it.
• We will continue to work on the reliability of the collections for recycling and the overall service provided.
  

How well do you know SID?

For children, young people and their families.

We want to look after and support all children, young people, parents and families in Tameside.

Those of you who had experienced our children and young people services (yourself or through your child) were ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ satisfied overall. Local primary schools were the most popular service used with 88% of you ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ satisfied with them.

What else?

• Most parents/guardians agreed that information on parenting skills (67%) and health and nutrition (55%) were needed the most when bringing up your children.
• Just 12% of you were aware of the online service information directory for children, young people and families.

With regards to services for children and young people:

• 49% of parents/guardians said they would like more information from schools and/or teachers, followed closely with 31% from health centres or clinics.
  

For more information on services for children and young people, please visit: www.tameside-sid.org.uk 

What are we doing with the results?

• We are working closely with our Family Information Service, based in Audenshaw Library to distribute more information from schools.
• We have written up a specific strategy to focus on parenting skills, health and nutrition, family learning and how we can strengthen these. A summary of the strategy will be available on our council website in August.
• From your responses we need to promote our online Service Information Directory, which we will do through the local radio and press.

Bereavement

This is a sensitive topic but one which is crucial in the loss of a loved one. We wanted to grasp your views about how we can reduce environmental impact and excessive energy waste without it disrupting the cremation process itself.

Before receiving the questionnaire, 83% of you were aware that the Council offers a crematorium service at Dukinfield. A majority of 80% supported the recycling of heat from the crematorium, with 45% strongly supporting it.

What are we doing with the results?

We are using the results to see how we can utilise heat energy in other areas of Tameside without disrupting the cremation process, and to research other alternative bereavement services that may be better for the environment in the future.

A Transformation of School Meals!

For Primary Schools.

We want to increase uptake of our school meals! 67% of you (through your children) said school meals tasted very or fairly nice, and a majority of 83% said that the dinner ladies or staff who serve the food were very nice.

What else?:

92% of you feel that ‘a balanced menu with healthy options’ is very important and 95% felt that ‘good quality meals’ are very important.

Preferring to take a packed lunch (63%) and the cost of the school meals (36%) were factors that prevented you taking on school meals.

What are we doing with the results?

• We really have ensured that all our menus include a good quality, well-balanced diet with a variety of nutrients. This is ahead of the new Government Legislation that will commence in September 2008 and requires the monitoring of 14 key nutrients in school meals (such as fibre, protein, iron and calcium).
• We have ensured a low cost, with school meals costing only £1.60 per day and information on free school meals has been put on our website and more widely circulated.
  

Something to Get Your Teeth Into?

Fluoride is a natural mineral that is found in many foods and in all drinking water. It can greatly help our teeth by helping to prevent tooth decay. Currently fluoride is added to around 10% of the UK population's water supply. Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust  are currently making a decision whether or not to recommend fluoridation of Tameside’s water supply.

You had a mixed response: Just over a third of you agreed that fluoride should be added to Tameside’s water supply (37%), whilst 29% of you said you ‘strongly disagree’ or ‘disagree’. A fifth (19%) of you were interested in attending our upcoming consultation event on this matter.

For more information on the Councils health agenda and scrutiny review visit our webpage on: www.tameside.gov.uk/scrutiny/personal/workprogramme

What are we doing with the results?

• Your view will go towards our cost benefit analysis of adding fluoride to the local water supply – so it will help us decide whether we should go ahead with this.
• We have organised a consultation event at Dukinfield Town Hall on the 21st July 2008 and invited two lobbyists to debate the fluoridation process.