Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge residents are being encouraged to have their say on local crime.
During March 2017 Sedgemoor District Council is sending out 5,500 surveys to a random selection of households across the district.
The survey will ask residents for their views on crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the local area.
The authority says it wants to encourage as many residents as possible to make their views known and not just those randomly selected to receive the postal survey.
A spokeswoman explained: “In order to understand the issues that matter to residents most, we want to hear your views on crime and anti-social behaviour. Once we know your views we can use this information to work together with local partners to address these problems.”
Surveys are available in Burnham-On-Sea library, Highbbridge library, Burnham-On-Sea’s Bay Centre, Burnham-On-Sea Community Centre, plus Sedgemoor District Council’s Bridgwater House reception, children’s centres and police stations. The deadline for returning the survey is 31st May 2017.
The survey is also available to complete online via www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/safetysurvey.
Sedgemoor carries out this survey every two years. The 2013 survey received 1710 responses, and the 2015 survey received 1,626 responses.
Some of the key findings of the last survey were:
· 95% of residents feel safe at home during the day
· 88% of residents feel safe at home after dark
· 89% of residents feel safe in the town/village centre during the day
· 57% of residents feel safe in the town/village centre after dark
· Litter, dog fouling and fly tipping are the top three anti-social behaviour issues of concern to residents.
· Generally it is perceived that crime and anti-social behaviour levels had stayed about the same in the previous three-year period.
· Only 15% of respondents felt that the presence of Closed Circuit Television cameras in the district have no effect on their feelings of safety.
· Cycling in Sedgemoor appears to make people feel less safe than travelling by car, bus or walking.
· 70% of respondents have not been a victim of crime themselves.
