'The first step in the town council’s commitment to strengthening community engagement': Bridgnorth residents set out their priorities for town in survey
A Shropshire town council has released the results of a community survey where residents have outlined their priorities for the town.
Bridgnorth Town Council said it would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete its recent Community Priorities Survey.
It said a total of 409 responses were received with residents highlighting the activities they would most like to see the town council focus on.
When asked to rate priorities as 'important' or 'very important', residents were clear about the areas they value most.
The highest-scoring priorities from the people of Bridgnorth were looking after the structures owned or managed by the town council (373) and the town's green spaces (372 responses).
Tackling issues with the local police was also highlighted as a significant concern (370), alongside maintaining and improving parks and amenity areas (367).
Protecting Bridgnorth as a shopping and tourist destination (364) and safeguarding the town’s heritage and cultural assets (362) also featured strongly, reflecting pride in the town and its unique character.
The survey also showed a strong level of confidence in the town council.
Of the 405 people who responded to the question about whether Bridgnorth Town Council puts the interests of the town first, more than 50 per cent agreed that it does, including 134 residents who strongly agreed.
Residents were also asked how important a selection of the services currently provided by Shropshire Council are to them. More than three quarters of respondents considered services related to litter bins, cleanliness, maintenance of street furniture and graffiti removal to be important or very important.
When asked how much extra council tax they would be prepared to pay to support the town council taking on these services, two thirds supported one of the options given (from 25p a week to £1 a week) but a third of those replying would not support an increase.
Mayor of Bridgnorth Councillor David Cooper said: “Our community is strongest when people are involved and their voices are heard. The town council wants to work more closely with residents, businesses, local groups and volunteers to help shape the future of our town. This survey marks the first step in the town council’s commitment to strengthening community engagement.
"The council is beginning a longer process of listening, learning, and shaping future decisions together with the community. By sharing your views, you have helped identify the issues that matter most locally. These priorities will now be fed directly into the town council’s community plan, helping to shape future actions that reflect the needs and aspirations of the whole community.”
The full results of the survey are available on the town council’s website.
