Latest survey findings reveal positive results on how residents are recovering from the effects of the pandemic, and how effective the council has been in responding to their needs.
Havant Borough Council has been asking residents how they have been coping during the coronavirus pandemic through a series of short online surveys.
Questions focused on the impact on mental health and personal finances as well as other difficulties experienced during the crisis.
The answers from the surveys, held every six months since June 2020, reveal the effect of coronavirus is having on people’s lives - where people are doing well, where they are struggling, and how the council has helped.
The latest round of results, when compared with the previous two surveys from different stages of the pandemic, have revealed interesting answers about the high levels of resilience shown by Havant residents over the course of the pandemic.
Some of the key findings include:
- Mental health has improved – Lockdown easing has improved mental health for 21% of respondents
- Negative financial impact reduced – The number of residents who have experienced a negative impact on their household finances has reduced from one in three, to one in five.
- Continued trust in HBC – Trust in the advice and information provided by Havant Borough Council has remained high throughout the pandemic at 81%, particularly when compared to the national average of 54%.
Councillor Alex Rennie, Leader of Havant Borough Council, said: “Listening to our residents is vitally important in helping us to understand their priorities and experiences. Finding out how people’s lives have been affected, both personally and professionally is invaluable in responding to those needs and identifying the measures that will help those who need it most.”
“These latest survey results have allowed us to benchmark our performance over time against the previous surveys and against national and Government statistics. The latest figures have shown that Havant borough residents continue to have considerable trust in the council and what we are doing. Which means we must be doing something right!”
An infographic has been produced which shows key results from the surveys. It compares how residents have adjusted to the pandemic over time, and how Havant Borough Council has responded to their needs.
All responses were confidential, and the results are being used to plan for the borough's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.