Opinion Research Services | Dorset CCG – Improving Dorset’s Healthcare Consultation 2016/17: Report of Findings May 2017 Future Northants Re port of Local Government Final Report Reform Consultation Opinion Research Services August 2018 Opinion Research Services | The Strand • Swansea • SA1 1AF | 01792 535300 | www.ors.org.uk | [email protected] Opinion Research Services | Future Northants Report - August 2018 Future Northants Report of Local Government Reform Consultation August 2018 Opinion Research Services (ORS) The Strand Swansea SA1 1AF 01792 535300 | www.ors.org.uk | [email protected] As with all our studies, findings from this report are subject to Opinion Research Services’ Standard Terms and Conditions of Contract. Any press release or publication of the findings of this report requires the advance approval of ORS. Such approval will only be refused on the grounds of inaccuracy or misrepresentation This study was conducted in accordance with ISO 20252:2012 and ISO 9001:2008. © Copyright August 2018 2 Opinion Research Services | Future Northants Report - August 2018 Table of Contents The ORS Project Team .................................................................................... 6 1. Summary and Conclusions ......................................................................... 7 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 7 Background .................................................................................................................................... 7 Consultation programme ............................................................................................................... 7 ORS report ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Consultation findings ................................................................................................................. 8 Open Questionnaire and Residents’ Survey................................................................................... 8 Deliberative consultation ............................................................................................................... 9 Members of the public ................................................................................................................... 9 Business people ........................................................................................................................... 11 Parish and Town Councils ............................................................................................................ 11 Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Board ......................................................................... 12 Submissions and petitions ........................................................................................................... 12 Corby Borough Council ................................................................................................................ 13 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................. 13 Requirement for a “good deal of local support” .......................................................................... 13 Consultation supports the proposal ............................................................................................. 14 2. Introduction ............................................................................................. 15 Background to the consultation .............................................................................................. 15 Current two-tier system and proposed unitary structure ....................................................... 16 Consultation by ORS ................................................................................................................ 17 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 17 Quantitative consultation ........................................................................................................ 18 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 18 Open consultation questionnaire ................................................................................................ 18 Residents’ telephone survey ........................................................................................................ 19 Deliberative consultation ........................................................................................................ 20 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 20 Focus groups with members of the public ................................................................................... 20 Forums with business people....................................................................................................... 21 Forums with parish and town councillors .................................................................................... 21 Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Board ......................................................................... 22 Submissions and petitions ....................................................................................................... 22 Adequacy of the Consultation ................................................................................................. 22 Gunning principles ....................................................................................................................... 22 Nature of consultation ................................................................................................................. 23 Interpreting “a good deal of local support…” ......................................................................... 23 What does it mean? ..................................................................................................................... 23 The ORS report ........................................................................................................................ 24 3. Quantitative Consultation ........................................................................ 25 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 25 Residents’ survey ..................................................................................................................... 25 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 25 Respondent profile (residents’ survey) ........................................................................................ 26 Open Questionnaire ................................................................................................................ 27 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 27 Duplicate and co-ordinated responses ........................................................................................ 27 3 Opinion Research Services | Future Northants Report - August 2018 Respondent profile (open questionnaire) .................................................................................... 28 Findings in graphical format .................................................................................................... 29 Four key questions................................................................................................................... 30 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 30 The need for change ................................................................................................................ 31 Reducing the number of councils ................................................................................................ 32 Unitary councils in principle ......................................................................................................... 33 Proposal for two unitary councils ................................................................................................ 34 Criteria for local government reform (open questionnaire only) ................................................ 35 Organisations in the open questionnaire ..................................................................................... 35 Open-text comments ................................................................................................................... 35 4. Deliberative Consultation ........................................................................ 38 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 38 Seven focus groups with members of the public .................................................................... 38 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 38 Main Findings ..................................................................................................................................