Meeting documents

Cabinet
Tuesday, 17 January 2006

CA170106-add-bcts

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2006-07 Budget and Council Tax Survey

Interim Data Report

1. Context

1.1 This note presents early feedback from the 10th Oxfordshire Citizens’ Panel research into budget and council tax levels. The Citizens’ Panel is the county council’s postal research panel that is structured to broadly reflect the adult population of the county as a whole by geographical area, age, gender, work status and ethnicity.

1.2 PLEASE NOTE, this survey does not close until 30 January 2006 and the figures presented are based on the 730 responses received thus far. These findings must be viewed as ‘indicative’ rather than ‘definitive’ as the final results will be subject to change.

2. Methodology and Interpretation of Data

2.1 The initial mailing of the 10th Citizens’ Panel took place between 22 and 30 December 2005. In total, 3,150 questionnaire packs were distributed and each questionnaire was coded with a unique reference number to enable the council to track responses. The closing date for the survey is set for 30 January 2006 and a reminder questionnaire pack will be issued to all non-respondents between 17 and 19 January 2006.

2.2 The data contained in this note has been statistically weighted by a combination of three variables (age, gender & district) on a ‘cell by cell’ basis to reflect the demographic profile of the panel.

3. Key Findings
    • 59% of respondents feel that the level of council tax paid to Oxfordshire County Council is too high for the level of services provided; and 35% think it is about right.
    • The services that the highest proportion of respondents would like the county council to spend more on are: care for older people (60%), support/care for vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and/or mental health issues (53%), and maintenance of local roads & pavements (51%).
    • In addition, 43% of respondents said they want the county council to spend more on recycling centres; 39% said spend more on public transport; 38% said spend more on youth centres and other facilities/provision for young people and the same for secondary schools.
    • Overall, 33% of respondents said they want the county council to spend less on traffic management schemes, 25% said spend less on registration services, 21% said spend less on museums and other cultural services and 21% said spend less on adult education.
    • 54% of respondents would support a council tax increase of 4.375%, to broadly maintain the current level of county council services.
    • 17% would support a higher level of council tax for increased services; whilst 26% would like to see a lower level of council tax.

CAROLE DIXON
Consultation & Marketing Manager

16 January 2006

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