Have Your Say - Summary of Feedback

Questionnaires issued = 2250

Questionnaires returned = 429 (giving a return rate of 19.1%) - Very high for this type of survey!

Responses to questions 1-5 were as follows:  

In principle do you agree with:	Approve	Neutral	Disapprove
1. The aim of improving the town	398	15	8
	93%	3%	2%
2. Developing the visitor economy	291	95	29
	68%	22%	7%
3. Improving the town centre	380	21	9
	89%	5%	2%
4. Supporting local businesses	331	63	27
	77%	15%	6%
5. Appointing a town manager	190	130	97
	44%	30%	23%

244 responded to the question ''are there any opportunities which you feel be have missed to improve the town centre, or do you have any further comments?''.

Almost 50% of those that responded to this question, commented about the physical environment, roads and/or traffic issues (116 comments). The main themes were:

• Better manage traffic in town/Take traffic (commercial) away from centre (26)
• Address on/off street parking issues (18)
• Improved footway/highway maintenance (13)
• Improve parking facilities at railway station (9)
• Reduce street clutter (9)
• Project should focus on whole of Whitchurch not just centre (8)
• Car park improvements/more parking required (8)
• Lack of footpath/pedestrian crossing facilities (6)
• Replace/provide more seating (5)
• Reduce speed of vehicles in town (4)
• Works outside town hall essential (4)
• Illuminate key buildings (i.e. church, White Hart) (2)
• Erect bollard/barriers to prevent large vehicles mounting pavements (1)
• Extend re-surfacing to cover whole town centre area (1)
• Improve access from Ardglen Business Park to A34 (1)
• Noise caused by A34 (1)

Miscellaneous comments about:

• Specific parking issues in town and around railway station;
• lack of shopper parking;
• numbers of commercial vehicles in town;

Suggestions:

• improve paved area in front of Town Hall;
• ban on commercial vehicles at certain time of day;
• remove on-street parking in central town area - this causes congestion;
• better control/management of car parks ;
• one way system for town
• more public art;

Over 40% commented about the shops, businesses and/or commercial premises in Whitchurch (102 comments = 41.8%) The main themes were:

• Greater selection of businesses/shops (with longer opening hours) required (32)
• Improve local economy by incentivising businesses to move to/stay in town (26)
• Property owners to be encouraged to have more pride/Avoid using public funds to improve premises belonging to commercial organisations (22)
• Would like to see hanging baskets/more planted areas/window boxes (20)
• Remove unsightly advertisement hoardings (2)

Miscellaneous comments about:

• empty shops/premises
• opening hours of exciting shops;
• types of shops required with specific emphasis on need for cafe/tea room;
• untidy facades and poor loading arrangements of multi-national supermarkets;

Suggestions:

• reducing business rates;
• town in bloom competitions;
• introduction of regular (local farmerslproducers) market;
• introduction of town ‘loyalty’ card;

Over 20% commented about the litter, dog fouling and/or recycling (50 comments = 20.5%):

• The need for more litter collections/vandal proof bins (32)
• The need for better recycling facilities (12)
• Measures to prevent/deal with dog fouling (6).

Miscellaneous comments about:

• nuisance caused by wheelies bins;
• untidiness of recycling facilities in Bell Street car park;
• litter arising from fast food outlets;

Suggestions:

• need for street cleaner;
• need for education programmes;

Just under 10% commented about the proposed Town Manager (24 = 9.8%) questioning the need for a town manager and suggesting that the appointment might be costly and/or a waste of money.

Suggestions:

• spend money on street cleaners;

Less that 5% commented about local facilities and tourist attractions (10 comments = 4%) The main themes were:

• Facilities for young people required (2)
• Facilities for older people required (1)
• More leisure facilities required (3)
• Information points/notice boards (1)
• Greater access to River Test (3)

Just 2% commented about community involvement (5 comments = 2%) highlighting the need to:

• involve the community/local schools in this project (3)
• develop a community newsletter/booklet (2).

Less that 1% commented about crime and safety (2 comments = 0.8%), specifically the need for CCTV cameras (1) and a higher level of policing (1).

The other miscellaneous issues raised were:

• Public conveniences are dirty (3)
• Allow more housing to boost local economy/restrict development (2)
• Welcomes opportunity to comment on town centre improvements (3)