Perceptions of local councils

Survey respondents were asked to agree or disagree with various statements about how their local council is performing. In 2024, 39% of respondents agreed that their local council provides high quality services (5% strongly agree; 34% somewhat agree). This is a statistically significant decrease from 42% in 2023.

When asked if their local council does the best it can with the money available, 39% of respondents agreed, a statistically significant decrease from 42% in 2023. A further 19% of respondents somewhat disagreed with this statement and 14% strongly disagreed. 

Under a third of respondents (29%) agreed that their local council is addressing the key issues affecting the quality of life in their local neighbourhood, which is a statistically significant decrease from 33% in 2023. A further 38% disagreed that their council is addressing key issues (23% somewhat disagree; 15% strongly disagree).

Half of respondents (51%) agreed that their local council treats people with dignity and respect (11% strongly agree; 40% somewhat agree). A further 12% disagreed with this statement (Table 2).

Figure 1:  Respondents were most likely to agree that their local council treats people with dignity and respect, followed by doing the best it can with the money availble and providing high quality services.

Percentage of adults agreeing with various statements about their local council

Perceptions of local councils by age, sex, and deprivation

Respondents aged 16 to 24 and adults aged 75 and over had differing views on whether their local council does the best it can with the money available and whether their local council treated people with dignity and respect. Just under half (48%) of respondents aged 75 and over agreed that their local council does the best it can with the money available, compared to a third (33%) of respondents aged 16-24, (Table 3). Just under half (48%) of respondents aged 16 to 24 agreed that their local council treated people with dignity and respect compared to 57% of respondents aged 75 and over.

Respondents from the 20% most deprived areas were less likely than respondents  from the 20% least deprived areas to agree that their local council does the best it can with the money available (37% compared to 41%) (Table 5).

In 2024, 28% of female respondents and 30% of male respondents agreed that their local council is addressing the key issues affecting the quality of life in their neighbourhood. These are both statistically significant decreases compared to 2023, when  31% of female respondents and 34% of male respondents agreed with this statement.

Influence over decisions in local area

Just under half of respondents (49%) disagreed that they can influence decisions affecting their local area (21% strongly disagree; 28% somewhat disagree). A further 19% agreed that they can influence local decisions.

A third of respondents (33%) agreed that they would like to be more involved in the decisions their council makes that affect their local area, a statistically significant increase from 30% in 2023. A further 44% of respondents reported that they would not like to be more involved (22% strongly disagree; 21% somewhat disagree) (Table 2). 

Respondents aged 16 to 24 were more likely to want to be involved in decisions affecting their local area (31%) compared to respondents aged 75 and over (18%) (Table 3). 

Figure 2: Just over half the respondents disagreed that they can influence decisions affecting their local area

Percentage of adults agreeing with various statements about their local council