Safety during the day

• The vast majority (81%) of residents feel safe in their local area during the day, with one in three (32%) feeling ‘very safe’.
• However, this is a decline since 2019 (-4ppts), and is 13ppts lower than the LGA benchmark (94%).
• When broken down by area, a similar pattern is found as in the 2019 survey: residents most likely to feel safe are in the West (86%), with those in East Central least likely to feel safe (although still the majority at 74%).
• Those that feel unsafe during the day are more likely to be in the Urban Adversity ACORN category (21%).

Safety after dark

• After dark, fewer than half (43%) of Southend residents feel safe, significantly lower than the LGA benchmark (79%).
• Half of residents (50%) state they feel unsafe after dark. This is up +10ppts since 2019.
• Residents in the West are the most likely to feel safe after dark (55%), while those living in other parts of the borough are significantly less likely to feel as safe (40% or less).
• Those that feel unsafe after the dark are more likely to be in the Financially Stretched ACORN category (57%),be female (57%) and live in social rented accommodation* (66%).

Caring responsibilities

13% of residents have caring responsibilities. Of those, almost half (45%) find it difficult to meet those responsibilities including 16% who find it very difficult.

A carer is defined as anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction can not cope without their support.

Those with caring responsibilities are more likely to live in East (18%) and be part of the Urban Adversity ACORN category (17%), 55-64 (21%), and not working (19%).

Results for Q13 - How easy is it for you to meet your caring responsibilities? (if residents answered Yes to being carer)

Community relations

The majority (71%) of residents feel connected to their area, and most (68%) believe people are willing to help their neighbours. However, only one in five (21%) agree their area has the resources required to solve local problems.

“The area where I live has the resources it needs to take care of local problems”

• Affluent Achievers (28%) and men (26%) are significantly more likely to agree with this statement.
• Urban Adversity (53%) and those working (42%) are more likely disagree.

“Where I live, people can get the services they need”

• Affluent Achievers (42%) and men (38%) are most likely to agree with the above statement.
• The Urban Adversity (34%) group are most likely to disagree.

Less than half (48%) of residents agree Southend is a good place to bring up children, and fewer than one in four (23%) agree there is good support for families with young children. The level of don’t know responses are an influence on these low scores.

• Those that agree that Southend is a good place to bring up children are more likely to be those of family-raising age (34-44s, 55%) and be from the Affluent Achievers ACORN category (63%).
• Those that disagree that Southend is a good place to raise children are more likely to live in East Central (31%) and be in the Urban Adversity (39%) category.

Your Family

Nearly all (97%) residents are unaware of the ‘Your Family’ initiative, although one in three (32%) would like to know more about it.

Results of Q15 - Have you heard about a new approach to working with children, parents and carers called Your Family?

Support during Covid 19

• Only one in three (37%) residents feel satisfied with how the Council has been supporting them during the pandemic.
• Affluent Achievers are most likely to be satisfied (42%), as well as over-65s (50%), and those that feel informed about Council services (66%).
• Despite this low level of satisfaction, far fewer (17%) feel dissatisfied with the Council’s support.
• Urban Adversity (29%) and East Central residents (28%) are most likely to be dissatisfied with Council support during the pandemic
• It is more evident that residents don’t have a strong opinion either way (46%) on this issue.

Living a good quality life

In order to live a good quality life in Southend residents most commonly identify a need for accessible/better services (21%), improved safety and security (19%) and clean streets (18%).

Results from Q17 - 17 Thinking about your health and housing in the future, what is most important to you so that you can live a good quality life in Southend-On-Sea?