This summary outlines the results and findings of the Christchurch City Council 1998 Annual Residents’ Survey as a supplement to the full summary report.

The results here are the major findings and do not include all the results tabled in the full report. Readers should consult the full report for more detail and are advised to also refer to the questionnaire itself, as sometimes the results section may not give enough detail about the question for accurate context. Page numbers are provided from the main report to allow quick access to the full information.

As well as the usual annual or bi-annual questions, to analyse how well the Council is meeting the needs and expectations of Christchurch residents, this year several topical questions have been included, such as the proposed upgrade of Lancaster Park, roading reform, ownership of trading enterprises, the preservation of heritage buildings, and children’s education in the City.

For assistance on interpretation contact

Rex Harrison, Corporate Planner, phone 371-1479,
or Carol Soundy, Communication and Media Relations Adviser, phone 371-1949 or 025-220-7248.

The Council has conducted an annual survey of its’ residents every year since 1991. The survey uses recognised sampling techniques to produce results that are sufficiently accurate to be a reliable estimate of the opinions of Christchurch residents. In technical terms the survey has a 3% error rate at the 90% confidence level.

The survey aims to:

obtain information on the opinions of residents in the Christchurch City Council area on the performance of services supplied by Council.

ascertain residents’ use and satisfaction with Christchurch City Council facilities and services.

measure changes in opinions from year to year.

Each year a standard set of questions is asked, along with biannual and supplementary one off questions. In the 1998 survey there were 92 questions on 33 topics.

The survey is conducted in face to face interviews at respondents' homes. This survey was conducted between 28 March and 26 April 1998.

A card was developed for each survey form which shows each resident’s approximate rate level and how much of their rates (or the rates paid by their landlord) is spent on each Council service.

Adults only (i.e. persons aged 18 years or over) were surveyed. (The sample for the questions about under 18 year olds are from the original respondents who have children under 18 years old living with them in their household)

In 1998 a total of 1031 people participated in the survey.

When comparing results from one year to the next, a difference of just over 4% is statistically significant.

62% of respondents hold a Christchurch City Council library membership card, compared with 56% in 1996.

67% of the respondents visited a library with 33% going at least once a month.

62% of respondents cited borrowing or returning books, and 19% cited getting information, as the main reason for visiting a library in the last 12 months.

Satisfaction with the politeness and helpfulness of library staff is at 95% and 93% respectively for 1998.

86% of borrowers were satisfied or very satisfied with the range of books available.

76% of respondents who had visited a library in the last 12 months were satisfied or very satisfied with library opening hours.

87% of respondents who had visited a library in the last 12 months were satisfied or very satisfied with the location of libraries in the City.

47% of under 18 year olds visited a Council library at least once a month in the last year. (note: this sample was from the original respondents who had an under 18 year old living in their household).

49 % of respondents swam at Council pools in the last 12 months, up 6% from last year .

80% of under 18 year olds went to a Council swimming pool in the last 12 months.

35% of respondents had visited a Council stadium in the last 12 months (down 5% from the last survey).

48% of those who had visited a major Council stadium went there three or more times in the last year.

74% of respondents had visited the Botanic Gardens or Mona Vale in the last 12 months.

66% of respondents had visited Hagley Park in the last 12 months.

24% of respondents had visited a large City sports park, like Burnside or Sydenham (other than Hagley Park) in the last 12 months.

42% of respondents had visited the Port Hills in the last 12 months.

52% of respondents had visited a large park like the Groynes or Spencer Park in the last 12 months.

66% of respondents had visited a small neighbourhood park in the last 12 months.

81% of respondents visited one of the City's beaches in the last 12 months, compared with 74% in 1997 and 67% in 1996.

97% of respondents had been to either a park or a beach during the last 12 months.

90% of respondents consider parks in Christchurch are looked after well or very well, with only 1% saying the parks are looked after badly.

53% of respondents are concerned to some extent with litter in Christchurch parks

Sport and spare time activities, pages 49 - 51

47% of under 18 year olds do not participate in any training or active sports game or lesson.

35 % of respondents had taken part in a physical activity run by a club in the last 12 months, up from 30% in 1997.

74% of respondents had taken part in physical activity away from home in the last 12 months.

Out of the 37% of respondents who could not participate in sparetime activities or hobbies they would have liked to, 28% cited lack of time because of work and/or family commitments, and 13% said the cost of entry or equipment was too high.

 

67% of respondents had taken part in community-based activities in the last 12 months, up 4% from 1997.

89% of respondents who had taken part in community-based activities were satisfied or very satisfied with the facilities.

59% of under 18 year olds participated in community based activities in the last 12 months. The kind of activities are listed on page 51 of the survey.

28% of respondents knew of a residents' group active in their neighbourhood.

34% of respondents visited the McDougall Art Gallery in the last 12 months, the same percentage as last year.

23% of respondents visited the McDougall Annex in the last 12 months.

84% of those who did visit the McDougall Art Gallery and/or Annex in the last 12 months were satisfied or very satisfied.

40% of respondents visited the Town Hall Auditorium in the last 12 months.

28% of respondents visited the James Hay Theatre in the last 12 months

45% of respondents had visited the Canterbury Museum in the last 12 months.

86% of those who visited were satisfied or very satisfied with the museum, up 5% from 1996

15% of respondents contacted the Citizens Advice Bureau in the last 12 months.

27% of respondents attended the SummerTimes Classical Sparks Concert. (note: the Events Team at the Christchurch City Council have further and more detailed research about events put on in the City)

 

96% of respondents who work in the central City visited the City Centre in the last 12 months for reasons other than work.

94% of respondents who do not work in the central City visited the City Centre in the last 12 months.

48% of respondents visit the City Centre at least once a week for non-work trips.

Of those respondents who go to the City Centre for non-work trips, 40% go for shopping and 21% go to meet friends and socialise.

72% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the range of activities in the City Centre.

54% of respondents consider Council should do more to encourage people to spend time in the City Centre, while 34% of respondents consider Council does the right amount currently.

87% of respondents feel safe in the City Centre in the daytime, up 10% from 77% in 1996, with only 6% feeling unsafe.

61% feel unsafe in the City Centre after dark compared to 69% in 1996 (down 8%)

57% of respondents who travel to the City Centre for non-work trips do so by car, van or truck, 22% travel by bus and 11% walk.

56% of respondents who had been to the City Centre for non-work trips found it hard or very hard to get a kerbside park Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 6.00pm, when on non-work trips.

24% of respondents considered traffic noise was a problem over the last 12 months.

25% of respondents considered barking dogs were a problem over the last 12 months, down 4% from last year.

11% of respondents considered smoke from backyard fires were a nuisance in their neighbourhood.

27% of respondents considered wandering dogs were a problem.

24% of respondents considered noise from their neighbours was a problem

9% of respondents considered noise from industry was a problem.

22% of respondents considered other kinds of pollution was a problem over the last 12 months.

68% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the number of toilets available for public use in the suburban shopping centres and malls.

88%, 87% and 93% of respondents who had used public toilets in the suburban shopping centres and malls were satisfied or very satisfied with the cleanliness, availability of soap etc, and working order (respectively).

48 % of respondents were concerned about litter in their streets in the last 12 months.

40 % of respondents were concerned about litter in shopping centres in the last 12 months.

53% of respondents were concerned about dog-fouling in their neighbourhood streets over the last 12 months.

27% of respondents were concerned by overflowing gutters.

28% of respondents observed rubbish near streams, rivers and open waterways and 11% had noticed smells.

61% of respondents recycle glass, the same percentage as last year.

78% of respondents recycle newspapers, a decrease of 8% from 86% in 1997.

40% of respondents recycle aluminium cans, up 5% from 35% in 1997.

37% of respondents recycle plastic, down 5% from 42% in 1997.

72% of respondents believe the Council should do more to encourage people to recycle things.

79% of respondents believed the Council's rubbish collections were good or very good.

18% of respondents believe there are currently not enough ways to get rid of extra rubbish.

88% of respondents advised they did not have a water supply stoppage in the last 12 months, up 4% from last year.

88%, 85% and 82% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the taste, appearance and pressure of water (respectively) supplied to their house or flat.

 

66% of respondents consider that Council does enough to stop roadworks from being a nuisance.

9% of respondents consider the quality of finished roads or footpaths after repair work is bad or very bad.

66% of respondents are satisfied with road signs in the City.

71% of respondents oppose the transfer of ownership and control of the City’s streets from the Christchurch City Council to a company. 8% support the transfer.

32% support road users paying more to maintain and develop the City’s streets and ratepayers paying less, while 42% oppose increased user pays.

63% of respondents believe that developments in the last 12 months have made the City better or much better overall.

59% of respondents consider Christchurch looks better, compared to 12 months ago, while 6% consider it looks worse.

50% of respondents want the historic buildings we have now kept, while 25% are concerned that these are declining in number but there is little that can or should be done about it. 11% are not concerned either way, and 6% want more modern buildings, even though they may replace historic ones in the process.

60% of respondents favour Council’s current spending on preserving historic buildings, while 29% favour spending more.

94% of respondents are satisfied or very satisfied with Christchurch as a place to live, work and to spend spare time, the same percentage as last year.

10% of respondents knew the correct City slogan - "Christchurch the Garden City - the City that shines".

 

74% of respondents did not know of the Community Board names for their area.

46% of respondents visited a Council Service Centre, compared to 30% who visited the main Tuam Street offices.

23% of respondents visited Council Service Centres once or twice in the last 12 months.

87% of respondents who dealt with staff over the telephone said they were polite, 78% said staff were helpful and 75% were satisfied or very satisfied with the service overall.

22% of respondents had Council staff visit their property.

78% support or strongly support the Council policy of continuing to own shares in Southpower and the Lyttelton Port and Christchurch Airport companies. 16% have no feeling either way and 4% oppose the current policy.

21% of respondents (nb. within the Christchurch City Council area) support, 19% oppose and 53% have no feeling either way about the proposed amalgamation of the two Councils.

Among supporters and those who have no feeling either way (ie 74% of respondents treated as a group), if amalgamation meant an increase in rates to equalise service levels then 31% support, 40% have no feeling either way, and 28% oppose.

Of those respondents who are parents/guardians of household children, 89% were satisfied or very satisfied with education at preschool level, 94% are satisfied with Primary/Intermediate level and 85% at secondary level. (Note: the sub-samples of households in these categories are small and the sampling error could range between 8 - 11%). Among the three groups dissatisfaction did not exceed 8%.

56% of respondents support Council involvement in the funding of upgrading of seating and other spectator facilities at Lancaster Park.

23% oppose Council contributing to the funding, 10% have no feeling either way, and 10% consider their position depends on the extent of that contribution.