Engagement report - County Views further engagement

Overview

Executive summary

Focus groups were held in spring 2023 to understand the reasons behind peoples’ responses to County Views recurring questions. There were 117 participants. 

How much do you trust us as a council?   

  • frustration arises from unsatisfactory or no response and action after: 
    • reporting issues 
    • contacting councillors
    • personal negative experience of a service
  • positive responses centred on managing funds well during challenging times

How informed would you say you are about our services? 

  • the council could more proactively inform people about services, especially the seldom heard - in clear language. County News could help achieve this, in digital and paper format
  • existing on-demand information is accessible and available in a variety of formats

How much would you say we listen to and act on resident’s concerns? 

  • people feel Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) listens, but doesn’t always act on resident's concerns, deliver what we promise or proactively communicate actions
  • considering the time and money available, LCC engages residents and reports on findings

How well would you say we provide value for money? 

  • money is spent inefficiently on short term fixes. Spending is perceived as uneven across the county and information that could help people judge value for money isn’t easily found
  • the council keeps costs down and provides good services overall

Overall, how would you rate Lincolnshire County Council? 

  • the Council seems:
    • slow to act on residents’ concerns
    • out of touch with issues affecting peoples’ lives
    • to prioritise Lincoln so other areas feel left behind
  • LCC does its best to provide for people given the limited resources and variety of needs.

Other themes

  • people want information from the council which clearly states what is and is not achievable
  • the council sticks to its word and has trustworthy, professional employees
  • council tax costs rise, but not all services seem to reflect this

Recommendation

That the views above are shared with relevant leaders and services, taken into consideration, and acted upon accordingly to improve the way we work and, or openly promote activity, information, and services.

Introduction

In March and April 2023, Lincolnshire County Council’s engagement team invited County Views citizen’s panel members to take part in engagement to establish why they answer five regular survey questions in the way they do.  We particularly wanted to understand why people respond negatively to these questions to address the issues:

  1. How much do you trust us as a council?  
  2. How informed would you say you are about our services?
  3. How much would you say we listen to and act on resident’s concerns?
  4. How well would you say we provide value for money?
  5. Overall, how would you rate Lincolnshire County Council?

Stakeholders

At the time the engagement was undertaken, only registered County Views panel members were able to respond to the thrice annually questions so only this group was offered the opportunity to take part. Of those who expressed an interest in preferred ways, dates, and times to engage, 117 took part. Councillors and senior staff within the corporate directorate were made aware, in case of queries about the engagement.

Methodology

A total of 117 panel members took part in the following ways:

  • face to face focus groups - 10 
  • video focus groups - 10
  • telephone or video calls - 10 
  • online survey responses – 80
  • postal survey responses - 7

Findings and conclusion

Findings

Question 1 summary – how much do you trust us as a council?

In the last 2022 survey, almost half of County Views respondents answered this question neutrally (179, 45%), followed closely by almost four in ten answering positively (158, 39.5%). This pattern reversed in the spring 2023 survey.

To understand the reasons for this, and particularly the 14% (57) who did not trust the council, the engagement team asked ‘why’. 

Sentiment analysis shows that comments and explanations were very similarly matched to each other with 29% being positive, 30% negative and 33% mixed, i.e. both positive and negative perspectives were offered. 

Those who were positive said the council:

  • sticks to their word on financial matters and manages funds well
  • compares well nationally
  • has a trustworthy core with officers doing their best, under difficult circumstances
  • earns a degree of trust from being an elected body
  • consults and engages on different issues and gives people the chance to respond

What leads to scepticism, negativity, and a lack of trust:

  • is political bias and affiliation on the part of councillors. Party politics influences decision making more than understanding local issues
  • stems from negative, personal experiences. Some feel their councillors are not active, responsive, accessible, or visible locally. People feel frustrated when actions are not delivered. It reduces trust in the council’s ability to run things well when communication is slow or people don’t hear back at all
  • people are realistic that you can’t please everyone all the time, especially with limited resources, but trust is lost when decisions and explanations are unclear about what can and cannot be achieved
  • employees work hard, but can be let down by ‘the system’ and poor service delivery,
  • joined up thinking and a need to work together better would increase trust in decision making
  • perceived lack of transparency on council decision making and council priorities reduces trust. Some council publications, such as County News, appear self-congratulatory to some without saying enough about what the council does
  • services in rural or isolated areas don’t reflect the money residents pay in council tax. People who feel left behind lack trust in the council overall
  • no say or control about how funds are spent. This raises doubts about how and why funds are prioritised and allocated in the way they are

Recommendations to increase levels of trust, based on this engagement:

  • respond to queries, questions, and concerns in a timely manner. If unable to give an answer immediately, estimate when and reply
  • proactively share stories about: 
    • local people and how they benefit from council services
    • recommendations made or decisions taken by committees and provide reasons

Question 2 summary – how informed would you say you are about our services?

Almost four in ten people who responded to the spring survey (88, 37.8%) said they felt well informed. This figure improved slightly compared to the autumn 2022 survey, but more people said they didn’t know. 

More than half of all comments in follow up engagement were positive. Those that were mixed recognised that they weren’t informed because they didn’t seek or need to be and could find information if or when they needed it.

People who felt informed said:

  • the council provides a variety of social media posts, emails, digital newsletters, printed copy, such as County News, and events to keep people informed when they need to know
  • the website is felt to be accessible and straightforward
  • people know where to find information because they choose to keep themselves informed
  • Fix my Street is a good platform that contributes to people feeling informed
  • some councillors send out email newsletters that keep subscribers informed

What leads to scepticism and negativity about being informed:

  • knowing where to find information is not the same as being well informed or knowing where to go for help or to report issues
  • unclear what services different councils (county, district, town and parish) provide
  • insufficient information is provided about how services can or do help people and no opportunities to get advice face to face 
  • can be difficult to find answers to questions or information on issues, such as road closures
  • on street signage for temporary road closures is unclear, which impacts people’s journeys
  • County News is focussed on councillors, service leads and celebrating good news instead of individuals, groups, and communities. It shouldn’t only be published in paper format
  • it can be difficult to speak to an officer about a particular issue. Can’t always resolve an issue or get information by talking to a councillor
  • communications and information feel bureaucratic or jargonistic

Recommendations to improve how informed people are, based on this engagement:

  • actively reach out to those who aren’t already engaged with the council, or digitally connected, to provide service information and contact details
  • County News
    • focus on communities to tell people what the council offers and what services are doing
    • promote the back page or publish a leaflet to all households that explains the services provided by the different councils and contact details or provide a simple reference sheet in the style of the household waste and recycling guides
    • consider re-introducing it in digital format or as an e-newsletter as some districts do
  • continue to use social and traditional media to actively promote council services
  • use language and formats that are accessible and informative for everyone

Question 3 summary – how much would you say we listen to and act on resident’s concerns?

Over one third of respondents answered this question neutrally (137, 34.3%) in autumn 2022. Almost twice as many respondents answered negatively, compared to positively (153 versus 80)

Sentiment analysis of comments made during follow-up conversations shows that more than twice as many comments were negative than positive (38% versus 17.5%).

Those who were positive said the council:

  • seeks and actively listens to the residents’ concerns, including through surveys and public meetings, even during challenging times
  • tries to engage as much as it can within available budgets and resources
  • reports on what it hears and decisions it makes
  • carried out this engagement well
  • has some active councillors who listen to and resolve issues promptly for residents

What leads to scepticism and negativity about concerns being listened to and acted on:

  • the council listens to resident’s concerns more than it acts on them. It seems more reactive than proactive and slow to act
  • the council listens to the loudest voices with polarised views, from people with time to express them
  • some councillors don’t respond, interact, or make themselves available
  • personal experiences of care services for example, lead people to think needs are not listened to or taken seriously. This results in a belief that other issues may also not be dealt with effectively
  • actions are promised, but not always delivered or explained, for example highways repairs. Damaged carriageways remain dangerous or poor or short term repairs are done, which is a false economy
  • little explanation about the basis on which decisions are made or opposed
  • when money is the reason for inaction, residents question what is important and how action is prioritised
  • people are pushed from one place to another, chasing answers in a ‘blackhole’ indicating a lack of communication within and between council and the public
  • a perception that issues in the Lincoln area are acted on more effectively so other parts of the county feel left behind and less important
  • some services are not moving back to face-to-face interactions, post pandemic

Recommendations to improve how we listen to and act on concerns, based on this engagement:

  • proactively provide opportunities for a range of views to be heard via digital and face to face interaction
  • develop simple, clear communication on reasons for prioritisation, decisions made, actions taken or why they can’t be and explain the benefits to residents or particular areas
  • complaints policy reminders internally to prevent matters escalating

Question 4 summary – how well would you say we provide value for money?

The largest proportion of respondents, once again, answered this question neutrally (145, 36%), with the next most common answer being ‘not well’ (102, 25%).

Comments were evenly split, approximately 29% each across positive, negative and neutral, while the remaining 13% had mixed views, according to sentiment analysis.

People who feel the council provides value for money said LCC:

  • does its best, considering limited resources, and budget compared to other authorities
  • focuses on the services it must provide and does that well
  • has higher council tax charges than some, but recognise the reasons for this
  • does well in the context of providing for a large county with a small population
  • keeps costs down without disrupting services or impacting negatively on individuals

What leads to scepticism and negativity about value for money is:

  • council tax charges rise each year while services are cut or reduced and personal income, including pensions, falls
  • council blames a lack of government funding
  • short term solutions save money up front, but don’t provide long term value for money
  • value for money depends on the services individuals use in relation to the tax they pay. Some feel they use few council resources, but pay more
  • outsourcing does not provide value for money as profits go to third parties. Examples mentioned include care homes and highways repairs. Any savings should benefit residents, not the private sector
  • greater service provision and quality is essential, especially in:
    • highways maintenance  
    • bus services 
    • household waste sites, too few in rural areas
    • social and preventative care for older adults at home
    • education and services for young people
  • money should be spent on services that benefit most people on a day-to-day basis
  • bureaucracy and excessive executive salaries do not provide value for money
  • unaware that council spending is published and found it hard to answer the question

Recommendations to improve how we provide value for money based on this engagement:

  • promote council budgets and accounts publication
  • explain what we mean by ‘value for money’ and compare Lincolnshire’s performance to other authorities
  • demonstrate how spending is spread across different priorities and geographical areas
  • honest and straightforward communication with residents on why and how money is spent. If money can’t be spent, explain why not and not just in the context of longer-term strategies or priorities
  • spend money on services or projects that have lasting impacts or benefit the greatest number of people. Communicate how this has been effective and how it delivers value for money
  • consider bringing work back in-house to save money and reinvest the savings in services

Question 5 summary – overall, how would you rate Lincolnshire County Council?

Respondents’ ratings were almost equally split between satisfaction, neutrality and dissatisfaction in the last 2022 survey. By spring 2023, ratings had improved from three in ten to four in ten feeling satisfied or very satisfied.

Further conversations reveal that three in ten comments were positive, one quarter were negative and two in ten were negative, according to sentiment analysis.

Those who were positive said, the council:

  • provides services well compared to other counties
  • does its best in a large rural county with varied needs and priorities
  • is relatively in touch with its residents
  • plays a part in enhancing quality of life, contributing to liking living in Lincolnshire
  • is rated 7 to 9 out of 10

 The things that lead to dissatisfaction include:

  • the matters raised in the first four questions, for example value for money, transparency, pro-active communications and speed of change
  • roads as the most frequent reason cited (11 negative remarks, one positive)
  • council tax is high and service expenditure is perceived to be mismatched. Money is not always directed where residents think it should be (8)
  • individual service or councillor experiences colour people’s views of the council overall (6)
  • a Lincoln-centric approach leaves those in the north and south feeling left behind (5)
  • personal or party politics are prioritised over what is best for residents’ needs (4)
  • issues managed by district councils, the police and health services, outside LCC’s control

Recommendations to improve overall ratings based on this engagement:

  • address the matters raised in the sections above to tackle perceptions, for example improve responsiveness, proactively promote council budgets and accounts publication
  • invest in what benefits most residents to get best value
  • infrastructure investment and improvements are required to improve Lincolnshire
  • keep up the good work!

Conclusions and next steps

There are polarised views, perceptions and understanding of Lincolnshire County Council and its functions. Referring to ‘the council’ often relates to elected members and many people see no distinction between the different authorities or public services and their roles. Conversely, there is an appreciation of the pressure on resources, conflicting demands and efforts made to address the multitude of local and national issues people face.

This report should be shared with senior leaders and individual services so that positive feedback and constructive criticism can be acted on. What happens as a result should be reported to those who took part online and through other communications and engagement opportunities as they arise. Feedback provided can help to inform other engagement activities and improvements the council is undertaking.