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Questionnaire
All the questionnaires have now been analysed and the summary is shown below.
Southminster in Future Times (SIFT)
Last year the SIFT group was established to work with the residents of Southminster to develop a Parish Plan. We wanted to learn about the concerns people had about living in the village and how small, but significant changes could be made which would enhance the experience of village life. We sent a questionnaire to each household and in addition provided opportunities for the business community and younger people to comment. Please visit our website on www.southminster-sift.org.uk for further information.
The responses have now been analysed and the key areas of concern and suggestions are listed below. Do they agree with your own views or are there more issues that need to be considered? Listed are details of further events which you are welcome to attend to fine tune the contents of the draft Parish Improvement Plan.
Parking Concerns
Street parking is considered dangerous in some locations and infringements of parking laws seem not to be enforced.
Certain roads can be impossible to negotiate because of double-parked vehicles. Parking on pavements restricts pedestrian flow. Shop owners find parking makes delivery difficult.
Parking Proposals
Residents in older properties without off-road parking need permits; designated parking for disabled drivers is requested near shops; more restrictions are requested near the Eastern Industrial Estate and Goldsands Road and better use of the Station Car Park for commuters.
Some shop managers would be helped if more short-term parking were available in addition to the High Street Car Park – which, people agree, is good.
Transport/ Road Safety Concerns
Excessive speed through the village concerns most people although some badly parked vehicles do act to calm traffic.
The regular presence of heavy lorries passing through the centre is seen to be unnecessary as well as undesirable.
Gaps in public transport provision; local businesses suffer from lack of passing trade. Low transport availability for nursing care is problematic.
Safety for pedestrians and cyclists on routes out of the centre.
Transport/ Road Safety Proposals
More restrictions are recommended e.g. 20mph in the centre and including Speed Indicator Devices, speed cameras, irregular police patrols and speed traps – provided that enforcement happens.
Plans to re-route HGVs, unless they are delivering to Southminster should be considered.
Requests were made for buses to run on Sundays and Bank Holidays and for trains and buses to run later in the evenings. Similar improvements were requested by the young people.
Provision of dedicated cycle paths and footpaths to Burnham and along Steeple Road to Knightswood were very popular requests. Pavements need to be widened where narrow and cleared where overgrown.
Community Safety Concerns
Although it is recognised that we are in a low crime area, this is a major concern and comprises an awareness of and the possible further development of anti-social behaviour, vandalism and opportunist crime often related to under-age drinking and drug dependency.
Community Safety Proposals
More effective and more visible policing is requested, especially to deal with drug-pushers. The community needs to work co-operatively to counter youth boredom, ineffective parental control and mutual respect. 11-16 year olds are hoping for a reduction in smoking and drug-usage.
Environment /appearance Concerns
The apparent lack of care for our village, demonstrated by the shabbiness of the High Street, the litter and dog-fouling, prompted considerable mention of the Southminster Identity – low self-image.
Several people, including the 16+ age-group, regret the lack of street lighting between midnight and 5 am.
Further industrial expansion is not popular, nor is further housing development.
Environment/appearance Proposals
Suggestions about hanging baskets, more flowers, seats and general cleaning of and repair of pavements again prompt the need for community co-operation.
Provision of open spaces for walking, dog-walking and horse-riding appears to be satisfactory. Recycling of waste is generally supported but a free ‘green wheelie bin’ is requested.
If further housing is necessary it should be affordable.
Shopping Concerns
The main problem with local shops is their lack of variety, their high prices and limited opening hours. Many people support them but still do their main shopping elsewhere.
Shop owners have small customer base, complain about speeding vehicles and congestion in the village. Advertising is seen to be difficult and restrictive.
Shopping Proposals
More retailers should be encouraged (with tax incentives?) including those for clothing, haberdashery and car fuel. Keeping the post office and the bank is important, better access for the disabled and a home delivery service for housebound people would be helpful.
An occasional open air pedestrianised market in the village centre.
Health Concerns
Concerns regarding safety, access and fitness facilities have been covered elsewhere.
A larger Medical Centre would help.
Health Proposals
20% of respondents are willing to be trained by the British Red Cross to administer First Aid, although fewer are willing to be available to be called on to help others.
Most young people know how to access health information.
Leisure/sport/entertainment Concerns
The main inadequacies are seen to be for young people and children but local keep fit facilities for all ages are also needed – and at timings suitable for the needs of those different age-groups.
Several people seem to be unaware of facilities already available here or within 10 miles.
Leisure/sport/entertainment Proposals
The most popular activities are visiting pubs/dining out and walking. Local clubs are well supported. For the young, socialising with friends is a high priority. Fishing, ten-pin bowling and Internet use at home are popular.
Particular calls are for a large Community/ Leisure Centre with improved facilities including a gymnasium and for a larger and/or more often open swimming pool. Young people request more facilities in the park, including rugby posts, go-carting, paint-balling, more youth club availability. They would also support musical/cinema trips. A dedicated place for young people to meet over and beyond youth service provision e.g. a youth café.
Better communication/publicity is required about existing facilities.
Library Concerns
The main concern is the limited opening hours and its physical position, especially as some people don’t know where it is.
Library Proposals
More information and better communication are recommended.
Education Concerns
Primary School: past concerns about poor academic achievement and inadequate behaviour management, including bullying, have led some parents to send children to other schools.
Attending evening classes is hampered by limited public transport provision.
Education Proposals
Advantages of Southminster Primary School include its being local and small, having a friendly staff and an excellent site.
General improvements since amalgamation are encouraging and it is hoped that community and authority support, with positive publicity, will bear good fruit.
Most young people know how to access the Careers advice “Connexions”. Several requested music workshops.
Language classes are in demand.
Communication Concerns
Publicity for events is too often late, and information about clubs is deficient in the Parish News.
Outlying areas do not receive the Parish News and the free papers, and residents in flats with secure access also miss out.
The Burnham Standard rarely reports Southminster events.
Communication Proposals
Communication in Southminster is felt to be reasonable, and the Parish News is generally described as good. Other free papers are also good.
However, improved communication is desirable – fuller reports of events and earlier publicity to aid efficiency.
Local businesses would appreciate assistance with their advertising.
General improvements are needed to the signposting of local places and what they offer.
We are pleased to report that the Parish Council has already begun to implement some of the concerns noted above.
More details will be made available as soon as possible.
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