This section contains notes and answers to any queries that are more specific to the Survey Questionnaire for Adult Residents. We can also “get away with” a more informal style here than is appropriate in a questionnaire.
Guide to types of Questions
Multiple Choice (ticking answers)
Whether you love or hate this kind of question, they can show the distribution of residents opinions. That is not only what most people have ticked (the mode) but how spread the answers are (spread or range) and if there is more than one grouping (multi-modal). Looking at the distribution of several questions we can look for patterns that can indicate why various things are good for some residents and not others.
Maps
These are a variation on the multiple choice. There are two questions with maps. Both have tick boxes for indicating where on the map something is important to you. In the question about views and vistas (E4) you can also mark additions on the map.
Open (free text)
These are your chance to write what you think. Our analysis team will be looking for themes and issues. It is possible to code free text responses for statistical analysis. We will only do this for an open question if the analysis team recommend it.
With this style of question, please tell us what you think in whatever style is best for you. For example you could
- Note down one or more things as key words and phrases like – “big gardens”, “pub”, “plenty of different type footpaths for dog walking”, “parking”, “narrow lanes”, “I love the quiet”, “its too quiet”, …
- Write one or more paragraphs explaining what and why
- Or just leave it blank if you prefer.
If you have more to say than can fit in the space (including the page for Any Other Comments) we should probably talk. Use the contact details in Survey Help to send us your thoughts – or to arrange to have a chat.
Notes and FAQ by Question
This section of Survey Help is a living document – we will be updating it in response to any queries specific to this questionnaire. We are starting it off with notes based on questions the steering group asked themselves while deciding what questions to include.
1. Quality of Life – What Preston means to you
L1. How satisfied are you with each of these aspects of living in Preston?
There is a general dislike of this type of “satisfaction survey” question, however they are important for a neighbourhood plan. For example:
- If lots of people say they are satisfied or very satisfied with something that can strengthen policies to keep it the same.
- If there is dissatisfaction with something that can support arguments to change it, focusing investment and policies towards improvement.
These questions don’t tell us what you want – but they are useful when combined with the other questions in the survey. It is not just the majority view – the spread of answers can sometimes help work out why an aspect of living in Preston is good for some and not others.
L2. How important do you think it is for Preston to have a Neighbourhood Plan from now until 2031?
This is another type of question that often irritates when taking part in a survey. As one of our fellow residents said “its just a numbers game”. Well yes it is, but in this case if many of us say it is important that adds weight to getting our neighbourhood plan accepted. It also strengthens the plan if we have to defend it against challenges once accepted.
L3, L4 and L5.
No questions asked yet.
2. Amenities and Facilities
Your answers to these questions can not only help define what we want in the future, but identify what could be impacted by development.
A1. How often do you use, or visit, each of these in Preston?
A1 and A2 really work together – there are no right or wrong answers or combinations. You might never use something and it still be very important to you – if for example you have friends or family who use it when they visit.
A2. How important is it to you that each of these are continued/maintained in Preston?
See A1.
A3. Do you participate in any of the following leisure activities in Preston?
No questions asked yet.
A4. If money was available…
…. to introduce or improve amenities or facilities in Preston between now and 2031, what would you like to see introduced or improved?
There are all sorts of ways in which neighbourhood plans can support and/or preserve planning options for future improvements. It would be helpful to compile “our community wish list”.
3. Housing and Development
We can’t use a neighbourhood plan to block permitted development areas defined in local plans. However we can have a say in the rate of development, physical type of buildings, architecture and who they are designed for.
There are also questions that look for issues that enable us to stay in Preston or force us to move when our circumstances change. Obviously in a neighbourhood plan we can only address issues that are affected by, or fixed using, planning policy.
H1 to H13.
No specific questions asked yet.
4. Environment and Heritage
E1, E2 and E3.
No questions asked yet.
E4. Which views / vistas in, and surrounding, the Parish do you think should be preserved ?
If you mark up any additional views on the map, page 18 may be copied to the Steering Group for additional analysis. The research team will not identify who filled in any copies of this page to the Steering Group.
E5. Are you concerned about any of the following in and around the parish?
No questions asked yet.
5. Transport and Communication
Transport, parking, speed limits and communications are issues that affect everyone in Preston.
The Neighbourhood Plan may be able to make recommendations on changing and improving these
aspects of living in the Parish.
This can be particularly important where these could be impacted by future development. If we understand the current problems and/or future needs we can try to address them in our policies for future development.
T1 to T5.
No questions asked yet.
T6. If you think the speed limit in Preston should be 20mph in some locations, please indicate where
This map represents the roads in the village, divided up into stretches of road. It is not based on any kind of plan or earlier discussions. If some 20mph limits are ever introduced the actual stretches might be quite different to those shown. The purpose of the map is simply to get a rough idea of where residents think 20mph limits would be appropriate.
T7 to T11.
As a parish we worked hard to get fibre broadband, we are still struggling with bad mobile reception and there seem to be an increasing number of issues with our voice lines. From a planning perspective these have to be considered in any future development proposals. As residents we have an amazing track record of what we can do about communications when we get together.
T12. What speed broadband do you currently get?
We have provided a specific help page for this – please follow the link to How do I find my Broadband Speed?
6. About You
These are “demographic questions” that help our analysis team find patterns where different groups of people give different answers to a question.
Equally important for a neighborhood plan – they let us check and hopefully demonstrate that the views of all groups have been fairly represented.
Y1 to Y7.
No questions asked yet.
7. Household Questions
Rather than make life complicated (for you and the PNP representatives) by having a separate household questionnaire we narrowed it down to a few questions at the back of this one. If everyone fills it in our analysts will sort out any discrepancies.
X1 to X7.
No questions asked yet.
8. Any Other Comments
If there is anything more you would you like to say to or discuss with the Preston Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group please email your comments to us via Survey Help or write them in the space provided.
The comments from this page will be electronically scanned and sent to the Steering Group. However, they will not be connected to your answers in the questionnaire. If (and only if) you would like to discuss what you have written below with the Steering Group, then please include your contact details.
The research team will not identify who filled in scanned copies of this page to the Steering Group.
If you have lots more to say we should probably talk – contact survey help to arrange to have a chat.