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Home , Lancashire, Up Holland, West Lancashire, Wigan, Wrightington

MORI/21540/2 Topline for: Local Government Review – Views of Residents in the Metropolitan Borough Council Area

Technical Note

• Results are based on interviews with 299 residents aged 18+ across the administrative council area of Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. • Interviews were conducted face-to-face, in home between 1 December and 23 February 2004. • A representative quota sample was interviewed in at least 30 randomly selected Enumeration Districts (EDs) within the Wigan Council area, with quotas set by age, gender and work status using 2001 Census data. • Data are weighted by age, gender and work status to the known profile of the area. • Where results do not sum to 100% this may be due to multiple responses, computer rounding, or the exclusion of don’t know/not stated. • An asterisk (*) indicates a value of less than 0.5%, but not zero. • Where the base size to a particular question is below 30 respondents, the percentage figure is replaced with the actual number of respondents (N) to that question. • Results are based on all respondents unless stated otherwise.

INTRODUCTION

Q1. Can I just check, is this your main home, or a second home? % Main 100 Second home 0 Don’t know/refused 0

Q2. Are you or other members of your household employed by a council? Respondent Other household members %% Yes: (3) (7) Borough/District/City/ 36 Metropolitan/Unitary council County council *1 Don’t know which council 0* No 96 64 Don’t know * 2 No other household members N/a 26

BACKGROUND

Q3. Can I ask how long have you lived in this area? By this area, I mean within around one mile or 10-15 minutes walk from your home. % Less than 1 year 4 1-2 years 7 3-5 years 14 6-10 years 13 11-20 years 14 Over 20 years 27 All my life 21 Don’t know/can’t remember *

Q4. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with this local area as a place to live?

% Very satisfied 37 Fairly satisfied 51 Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 3 Fairly dissatisfied 6 Very dissatisfied 3 Don’t know 0 INVOLVEMENT

Q5. Overall, how involved do you feel in your local community?

% A great deal 3 A fair amount 17 Not very much 51 Not at all 30 Don’t know 0

KNOWLEDGE OF/ATTITUDES TO LOCAL GOVERNANCE

I would now like to ask you some questions about local government services in your area.

Q6. Firstly, do you know the name of the council which provides local government services in this neighbourhood? Are there any others? % Wigan Council 75 Other(s) 6 Don’t know 19

In fact/as you said, most local government services in this area are provided by Wigan Council. As you may know, Wigan is in the Greater area.

Q7. From this card, how much would you say you know about your local council and the services it provides? % A great deal 5 A fair amount 37 Not very much 50 Nothing at all 8 Don’t know *

This card shows you some of the key services provided by your local council.

Q8. Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way Wigan Council is running the area?

% Very satisfied 11 Fairly satisfied 51 Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 20 Fairly dissatisfied 11 Very dissatisfied 5 Don’t know 1 Q9. And how strongly do you feel that you belong to each of the following areas?

Very Fairly Not very Not at all No strongly strongly strongly strongly opinion %%%%% The Wigan Council %2836278 1 area

The Greater % 4 22 33 38 3 Manchester area

The County of %313218163

Q10. Now thinking about getting in touch with your local council. If all these methods were available, which one would you prefer to use to contact your council in the first instance?

% In person 10 By phone 75 In writing: By fax 0 By email 4 By letter 6 Through a councillor 3 Through someone else 2 Other 0 Don’t know *

ATTITUDES TO ISSUES UNDER REVIEW

Q11. The Boundary Committee for has been asked by the Government to review the way local government is currently organised in the North West in the counties of , Lancashire and , prior to a referendum on elected regional assemblies.

As part of its review, The Boundary Committee can also recommend some changes to the boundaries of authorities within and . For example, your council’s boundary could be expanded to include areas which are currently part of Lancashire.

Before this interview today, how much, if anything, would you say you knew about this review of local government?

% A great deal 2 A fair amount 7 Just a little 19 Heard of but know nothing about it 9 Never heard of it 63 Don’t know * Q12. Where did you hear about the review? Base: all who have heard of the review of local government (115) % Leaflets (3) Leaflet delivered to your door 3 Leaflet in library/offices, etc 0 Leaflet from Boundary Committee for 0 England Leaflet - don’t know which source 0 Newspapers (35) Article in local newspaper 25 Advertisement in local newspaper 7 Article in national newspaper 3 Advertisement in national newspaper 1 Council newsletter/magazine 0 Other Media (44) Programme/News on TV 40 Programme/News on Radio 4 Advertisement on TV 1 Advertisement on Radio 1 Poster 0 Councils (2) Conversation with a Councillor or Council 2 staff Parish/town council 0 Websites (0) Lancashire County Council website 0 Wigan Council website 0 The Boundary Committee for England 0 website Other website 0 Other (24) Friends/neighbours/family 18 Residents’ Association 0 Other 7 Don’t know 8

PREFERENCES

The Boundary Committee for England is considering suggestions for organising local government as part of its review.

One of the suggestions is that Wigan Council (which is in the Greater Manchester area) and part of Council (which is in Lancashire) could be combined into a single unitary council. Q13. Looking at the scenarios on these cards, please tell me which, if any, you would most prefer for the Wigan area, or whether you do not have a preference?

% Wigan Council (which is in the 11 Greater Manchester area) and part of West Lancashire Council (which is in Lancashire) could be combined into a single unitary council No change to the current Wigan 43 Council area I don’t have a preference 39 Some other option 2 Don’t know 5

PREFERRED OPTION

I would now like to ask you some questions about your most preferred scenario, which is …

Q14a. Looking at this card, which reasons best describe why you like this scenario most? Just read the letter/s that apply.

Base: All who have a preference for a single council of Wigan Council combined with the part of West Lancashire Council (33) % Community/Residents (62) It would reflect local identity 23 It would reflect local history 19 It would reflect local geography 18 It would reflect local people’s views 16 It would reflect similar communities 13 I would like my council to cover a large area 12 It would reflect the right mix of local communities 11 I would like my council to cover a small area 0 Council (63) It would create a strong council 38 The Council would be more efficient/value for 29 money The Council would be more accountable 26 It would improve council services 21 The option goes back to how it used to be 9 I don’t like present council 2 I like present council 0 Other (41) It’s my instinct/I just think it would be the best 17 It’s the best of the available options 17 No particular reason 0 Other 12 Don’t know 0 Q14b. Looking at this card, which reasons best describe why you like this scenario most? Just read the letter/s that apply.

Base: All who prefer no change to the current Wigan Council area (135) % Community/Residents (67) I would like my council to cover a small area 47 It would reflect local people’s views 26 It would reflect local identity 26 It would reflect local history 16 It would reflect local geography 11 It would reflect similar communities 8 It would reflect the right mix of local communities 7 I would like my council to cover a large area 3 Council (51) I like present council 30 The Council would be more efficient/value for 11 money The Council would be more accountable 11 It would improve council services 7 It would create a strong council 6 The option goes back to how it used to be 3 I don’t like present council 1 Other (38) It’s my instinct/I just think it would be the best 16 It’s the best of the available options 10 No particular reason 4 Other 10 Don’t know 3

Q15a. And still thinking about your preferred scenario, how strongly would you say you prefer this compared to the other scenarios on the showcard?

Base: All who have a preference for a single council of Wigan Council combined with the part of West Lancashire Council (33) % Very strongly 28 Fairly strongly 52 Not very strongly 20 Not at all strongly 0 Don’t know 0

Q15b. And still thinking about your preferred scenario, how strongly would you say you prefer this compared to the other scenarios on the showcard?

Base: All who prefer no change to the current Wigan Council area (135) % Very strongly 40 Fairly strongly 45 Not very strongly 9 Not at all strongly 2 Don’t know 5 Q16. When deciding on how to change the boundaries of council areas, which one of the things on this list, if any, do you think is the single most important issue to take into account? Just read out the letter that applies.

% Quality of services 28 Cost of services 19 Responding to local people’s 17 wishes Being accountable to local 13 people Size of population covered 5 Sense of local community 4 Ease of contacting the Council 3 Level of information about the 2 Council and its services Historical or traditional place 1 names Access to local Councillors 1 Other * Don’t think any of them apply * Don’t know/no opinion 4

Q17. Which statement/s on this card best applies to you? Just read out the letter that applies.

% Working - Full time (30 hrs/wk+) 43 Working - Part-time (8-29 hrs/wk) 9 Working - Part-time (under 8 0 hrs/wk) Local or Government Training * Scheme (GTS)/Modern apprenticeships Unemployed: registered 2 Unemployed: not registered, but 1 seeking work At home/not seeking work, 8 looking after children At home/not seeking work, not 3 looking after children Long-term sick/disabled 9 Retired 24 Full-time education 1 Other * Don’t know *

Q18. Do you have any school aged children (aged 5-16) living with you in this household? % Yes: (30) One child 13 Two children 11 Three children 4 Four children or more 2 No: No children aged 5-16 in 68 household Not stated 1 EFFECTIVE COMMUNITIES

I would now like to ask you some questions about your community.

Q19a. Overall, which town do you currently most associate yourself with?

Q19b. Here is a map of the current Wigan Council area. Is the town you just mentioned within the Wigan Council area or outside it? % Inside Wigan Council area 89 Outside Wigan Council area 10 Don’t know 2

Q19c. Base: all who associate with a town outside the Wigan Council area (29) N (Bolton Metropolitan 6 Borough Council) Manchester (Manchester City 4 Council) Don’t Know 4 () 3 St Helens (St Helens 3 Metropolitan Council) (Warrington Borough 2 Council) (Burnley Borough 1 Council) Bury (Bury Metropolitan Borough 1 Council) Other 5 Q20a. Which town or area do you generally go to for your main food shopping? If you don’t do the main food shopping, please answer for the person in your household who does.

Q20b. Again, looking at the map of the current Wigan Council area, is the town or area you just mentioned within the Wigan Council area or outside it? % Inside Wigan Council area 91 Outside Wigan Council area 9 Don’t know 1

Q20c. Base: all who generally do their shopping outside of the Wigan Council area (26) N Bolton (Bolton Metropolitan 6 Borough Council) (Chorley Borough 5 Council) (West Lancashire 4 District Council) St Helens (St Helens 3 Metropolitan Council) Warrington (Warrington Borough 3 Council) Manchester (Manchester City 2 Council) (Preston City Council) 1 Other 1 Don’t Know 1 Q21a. Which town or area do you generally go to shop for clothes and household goods?

Q21b. Again, looking at the map of the current Wigan Council area, is the town or area you just mentioned within the Wigan Council area or outside it? % Inside Wigan Council area 59 Outside Wigan Council area 38 Don’t know 3

Q21c. Base: all who generally shop for clothes/household goods at a town or area outside of the Wigan Council area (111) % Manchester (Manchester City 38 Council) Bolton (Bolton Metropolitan 33 Borough Council) St Helens (St Helens 5 Metropolitan Council) Liverpool (Liverpool City Council) 4 Warrington (Warrington Borough 4 Council) Chorley (Chorley Borough 1 Council) Preston (Preston City Council) 1 Other 10 Don’t Know 5

Q22a. Where is/are your child’s/children’s school(s)? Base: all who have children aged 5-16 living in household (82)

Q22b. Again, looking at the map of the current Wigan Council area, is the town or area you just mentioned within the Wigan Council area or outside it? % Inside Wigan Council area 89 Outside Wigan Council area 11 Don’t know 0

Q22c. Base: all residents who have children aged 5-16 who attend school outside the Wigan Council area (9) N Bolton (Bolton Metropolitan 2 Borough Council) (West Lancashire 2 District Council) Bury (Bury Metropolitan Borough 1 Council) Skelmersdale (West Lancashire 1 District Council) St Helens (St Helens 1 Metropolitan Council) Warrington (Warrington Borough 1 Council) Bar (West 1 Lancashire District Council) Q23a. In which town or area is your main place of work? Base: all who are working (141)

Q23b. Again, looking at the map of the current Wigan Council area, is the town or area you just mentioned within the Wigan Council area or outside it? % Inside Wigan Council area 55 Outside Wigan Council area 44 Don’t know 1

Q23c. Base: all working residents who work outside the Wigan Council area (60) % Manchester (Manchester City 16 Council) St Helens (St Helens 10 Metropolitan Council) Warrington (Warrington Borough 9 Council) Bolton (Bolton Metropolitan 8 Borough Council) Skelmersdale (West Lancashire 3 District Council) Leyland ( Borough 2 Council) Liverpool (Liverpool City Council) 2 (Rochdale 2 Metropolitan Borough Council) Up Holland (West Lancashire 2 District Council) (West 2 Lancashire District Council) Other 32 Don’t Know 12

Q24a. And in which town or area do any other adults in the household work?

Q24b. Again, looking at the map of the current Wigan Council area, is the town or area you just mentioned within the Wigan Council area or outside it? % Inside Wigan Council area 32 Outside Wigan Council area 21 Don’t know 47 Q24c. Base: all residents who have other members of household who work outside the Wigan Council area (59) % Manchester (Manchester City 18 Council) Bolton (Bolton Metropolitan 13 Borough Council) Warrington (Warrington Borough 13 Council) St Helens (St Helens 4 Metropolitan Council) Liverpool (Liverpool City Council) 3 Bury (Bury Metropolitan Borough 2 Council) (West Lancashire 2 District Council) Up Holland (West Lancashire 2 District Council) (Bolton Metropolitan 1 Borough Council) Other 37 Don’t Know 7

Q25a. And to which town or area do you mainly go for your leisure and sporting activities?

Q25b. Again, looking at the map of the current Wigan Council area, is the town or area you just mentioned within the Wigan Council area or outside it? % Inside Wigan Council area 70 Outside Wigan Council area 20 Don’t know 10 Q25c. Base: all who go outside of the Wigan Council area for sports/leisure activities (57) % Manchester (Manchester City 25 Council) Bolton (Bolton Metropolitan 20 Borough Council) Chorley (Chorley Borough 8 Council) Wrightington Bar (West 6 Lancashire District Council) St Helens (St Helens 3 Metropolitan Council) Leyland (South Ribble Borough 2 Council) (West Lancashire 1 District Council) Up Holland (West Lancashire 1 District Council) Other 28 Don’t Know 7 DEMOGRAPHICS

Gender % How many cars or light vans are there in Male 49 your household? Female 51 % None 24 Age % One 43 18-24 9 Two 26 25-34 22 Three or more 5 35-44 25 Not stated 1 45-54 12 55-64 15 Which of the groups on this card do you 65-74 12 consider you belong to? 75+ 6 % WHITE (98) Class % British 97 A* Irish 1 B9 Any other white background 1 C1 28 MIXED (0) C2 26 White and Black Caribbean 0 D19 White and Black African 0 E18 White and Asian 0 Any other mixed background 0 Number in household (Adults aged 18+, ASIAN OR ASIAN BRITISH (0) inc. respondent). Indian 0 % Pakistani 0 One 26 Bangladeshi 0 Two 59 Any other Asian background 0 Three 12 BLACK OR BLACK BRITISH (*) Four 3 Caribbean * Five or more 1 African 0 Any other black background 0 And can I just check, are there any children in CHINESE OR OTHER ETHNIC (*) the household aged under 18? What are their GROUP ages? Chinese * % Any other background 0 0-4 15 Refused 1 5-7 13 8-10 12 11-14 15 15-16 8 17 2 Don’t know 0 No children aged under 18 59

In which of these ways does your household occupy this accommodation? Just read out the letter that applies. % Owned outright 28 Buying on mortgage 47 Rented from Council 14 Rented from Housing 3 Association Rented from private landlord 6 Other 1 Not stated 1 Here is a list of local newspapers. Which, if any, of these do you usually read or look at regularly? By regularly, I mean you usually read or look at three out of four editions. Are there any free newspapers which are not on this list which you read regularly? % Wigan Reporter 45 Leigh Reporter 29 Leigh Journal 28 Wigan Observer 22 Wigan Evening Post 19 5 Lancashire Evening Post 4 Bolton Evening News 2 Liverpool Echo 1 The Courier 1 Lancashire Evening Telegraph * Liverpool Daily Post * Bury Times * Chorley & Leyland Guardian * * St Helens Star * Wilmslow Express * Other 3 None of these 14