Great Yarmouth Borough Council is asking residents help in a series of surveys to help shape its future plans.

All local authorities are required under Government legislation to carry out Best Value Satisfaction Surveys every three years.

The Borough Council has to carry out four within this financial year - they are Benefits; Planning; Tenants (Council tenants) and a general survey.

The Department for Communities and Local Government, formerly the Office of Deputy Prime Minister has been very prescriptive on how the surveys should be carried out, this includes the wording for the questions, timing and sending up to two reminders.

Great Yarmouth has been working with other authorities in the Norfolk Citizen’s Panel Partnership and formed a consortium to carry out the Benefit, Planning and general surveys.

The work was tendered and MORI, a highly respected market research company, won the contract. The Council has saved several thousand pounds by being part of the consortium and using MORI to carry out the three surveys will ensure it meets the requirements set out in the guidance. The ‘Tenants survey’ will be tendered separately.

Residents selected for the general survey are randomly chosen from a Post Office small users address file supplied by the Government. The Council will send out 3,000 questionnaires in mid-September.

The Benefit survey will select a random sample of claimants who have had their claim determined during a certain period. Questionnaires will be sent in two periods, with the first 800 going out in late August.  The Planning survey is likely to include all those who made a planning application and received a decision between 1 April and 30 September.

It is possible that some residents could receive two or more surveys.

The Council feels it is important that it hears everybody’s views so that it can put its resources where it really matters. If you receive any one of the questionnaires please fill it in and return in the pre-paid envelope provided, no stamp is required.

Results of the four surveys will be included in the Council’s Best Value Performance Plan, which will be published at the end of June and shown on this website once it has been audited.