Residents Survey 2025

Starts: 22 May 2025

Ends: 31 July 2025

Description

The residents survey is a chance for all Gateshead residents to have your say about where you live and the services provided by the council. The survey will help us to shape our services and identify areas where we need to improve. Every response helps us gain an important picture of what matters to you.

Have your say

This survey is now closed.

Feedback

Download this Feedback as a PDF (PDF, 652 KB)(opens new window)

Why we consulted

Following years of government funding cuts, we want to know what our residents think about Gateshead as a place to live, including what needs improving and how we're getting on with each other as a community.

We want to make sure our residents know and understand what we do as a council, including the services we provide and the issues we face. Importantly, we need to ensure we're able to act on our resident's concerns.

The results of the survey will help us to evaluate whether we're doing the right things now, and to inform decisions about future service design and delivery.

When we consulted

22 May 2025 to 31 July 2025.

How we consulted

The survey was made available online through the council's consultation portal. Paper copies of the survey were available both on request and in council libraries. The survey was widely advertised through direct email notifications, Council News magazine, social media, businesses and the voluntary and community sector.

Feedback

There were 3,195 responses from Gateshead residents. To ensure the survey findings are as representative of the whole Gateshead population as possible, the survey responses have been weighted by the age, sex and ethnicity of respondents. Note, in some instances the percentages shown below may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Where you live

We asked respondents about their local area (we defined local area as being within 15 to 20 minutes walking distance from home). 51% told us they were satisfied with their local area as a place to live. This is down on a previous survey in 2018 when 64% were satisfied. More than half of respondents said they felt their local area had become a worse place to live over the last year.

Although satisfaction with the local area is down, 77% of respondents said they were satisfied with their home as a place to live. Looking beyond their home, 22% of respondents were not satisfied with the choice and 25% with the quality of housing in their local area, which may limit the desirability of moving home for some. Low satisfaction is particularly evident for respondents living near the centre of Gateshead.

The sense of place in local areas has remained exactly the same as it was in 2018. Two thirds, or 65%, of respondents say they feel a strong sense of belonging. 61% also feel that their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together.

In comments received from those respondents, many described their area as friendly, with neighbours looking out for each other, positive signs of integration, and a sense that difference is embraced. In other areas, however, there are concerns about racism and intolerance, as well as cultural separation. Social media was mentioned as problematic in terms of the spread of misinformation.

Antisocial behaviour

Almost two thirds of respondents identified 'rubbish or litter lying around' and 'people using or dealing drugs' as problems in their local area. Rubbish or litter is particularly a problem for respondents living in the centre, east and south of Gateshead. For example, 77% of those in central Gateshead identified it as a problem in their local area. Those living in the centre of Gateshead were also more likely to identify drug use as a problem in their local area - as many as 79%.

Although not identified by the largest number of respondents, still around 40% to 50% selected issues around criminal damage, alcohol use and intimidating groups hanging around streets. Relatively few respondents have issues with noisy neighbours or loud parties.

Resident priorities

Respondents were presented with a list of 17 things that can affect a local area. These included:

• access to good local jobs
• affordable decent housing to rent or buy
• clean streets
• community facilities (for example libraries, community centres)
• facilities and activities for children and young people
• good schools
• grass cutting and weeding
• health services
• level of antisocial behaviour
• level of crime
• level of traffic congestion
• local shops within walking distance
• parking
• parks and green spaces
• public transport
• road and pavements
• walking and cycling routes

Respondents were asked to select from the list up to five things that are most important in making somewhere a good place to live and then five things that most need improving in their local area. The top five priorities for improvement are:

• level of antisocial behaviour
• clean streets
• road and pavements
• level of crime
• grass cutting and weeding (it should be noted the survey was open across the summer months)

Of those five priorities for improvement, three of them were also in the top five most important in making somewhere a good place to live:

• level of antisocial behaviour
• clean streets
• level of crime

Priorities for improvement do vary by age. For example, those aged under 25 are more likely to select access to good local jobs, community facilities, parks and green spaces, and walking and cycling routes. Those aged 25 to 64 are more likely to select the level of antisocial behaviour and level of crime. Whilst those aged 65 and over are more likely to select improvements to roads and pavements.

The council

Satisfaction with the council is low at just 21%, although a further 20% said they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. The low satisfaction level is reflected in the high proportion, 60%, who do not feel the council is currently offering value for money. This is a particular challenge as government expectations are that local authorities will continue to raise Council Tax, whilst core funding from government is being reduced.

Respondents who are dissatisfied with the council at present mention issues that are being addressed as a priority as described in the Next Steps section below. These include poor road conditions, the flyover and traffic issues, antisocial behaviour, waste and litter, and housing repairs.

Satisfaction with council services is generally down with the exception of waste collection which remains high at 70%. In line with residents' priorities, satisfaction with street cleaning is at 30% and road and pavement maintenance at 16% and 19% respectively.

Next steps

The results of the survey have been considered by the Leader of the Council and council members. We have brought together senior officers from across council services to decide what key actions need to be taken in response to the findings of the Residents Survey.

Investment is already being put in place to target areas that residents care about most, including environmental services, crime and antisocial behaviour, and the findings of the Residents Survey will enable us to better target our efforts.

We have already started or are looking to start the following actions this financial year:

We're developing a 'Community Safety Hub' to help us support victims of crime and antisocial behaviour and to change the behaviour of perpetrators. We're also focusing on key areas such as serious violence and hate crime.

We're investing in new equipment and staff to improve how we respond to environmental issues and to strengthen our ability to tackle offences like fly-tipping and graffiti. We're expanding our dog warden and pest control services to improve public safety. We're continuing to work towards our goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2030.

We're investing £8 million in staff and the purchase of new equipment to remove potholes and repair roads more quickly and efficiently. We've set ourselves a target of 95% of highways repairs being completed within 10 working days. Demolition of the flyover will begin in readiness for regeneration of that area. We're demolishing outdated housing blocks and working towards delivering regeneration programmes in local centres, beginning with Felling town centre.

We're looking at how to improve our contact with residents so that we are responsive, accessible and have service standards that you can rely on. Our benefits take-up campaign will help our most in need residents to maximise their income.

Documents

None.

Contact

Matt Liddle
0191 433 2046
[email protected]