Why is this National Indicator important?
Our satisfaction with our neighbourhoods has an important influence on the overall quality of our lives. In Scotland as a whole, over 90% of adults rate their neighbourhood as either very good or fairly good. However, the neighbourhood rating is significantly lower in more deprived areas. For example, in 2005/2006, 78% of adults in the most deprived areas rated their neighbourhood as either good or fairly good while 99% of those in the least deprived areas did so. As the most deprived communities become safer and stronger, neighbourhood satisfaction will increase in these areas and for Scotland as a whole.
What will influence this National Indicator?
Satisfaction and dissatisfaction with our neighbourhoods is governed by a wide range of factors including: the local physical environment; convenience of services such as shops and public transport; the behaviour of others in the neighbourhood; and perceptions of personal safety. The factors most frequently mentioned (without prompting) by adults who rated their neighbourhood well in 2005-06 were: a quiet and peaceful neighbourhood; good neighbours; convenient shops/amenities; outlook/view; good public transport; and safe area/low crime. Factors most frequently mentioned by adults who rated their neighbourhood poorly were: young people hanging about; vandalism and graffiti; drug abuse and dealing; unsafe area; and litter and rubbish.
What is the Government's role?
We support local authorities and their partners to regenerate their most deprived neighbourhoods. The new Fairer Scotland Fund (£435m between 2008 and 2011) is allocated to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) in order to tackle poverty and deprivation and get more people into sustainable employment. CPPs have the freedom to allocate this Fund as they wish to support priority outcomes. One of these is to improve neighbourhood satisfaction, be it, for example, by tackling crime, graffiti and litter or improving local green spaces. By making our most deprived areas safer and stronger, neighbourhood satisfaction levels will increase across the whole of Scotland.
How are we performing?
The percentage of adults who rated their neighbourhood as a fairly or very good place to live has been very stable, and very high for some years. The latest figure of 93.0% shows an improvement on last year's figure.
Source: Scottish Household Survey
Methodology
This evaluation is based on: any difference within +/- 0.5 percentage points of last year's figure suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. An increase of 0.5 percentage points or more suggests the position is improving; whereas a decrease of 0.5 percentage points or more suggests the position is worsening.
For information on general methodological approach, please click here.
Further Information
2007 Spending Review Technical Note
Statistics Topic Page
Who are our supporting delivery partners?
Community Planning Partnerships
Local Councils
Related Strategic Objectives
Wealthier and Fairer
Safer and Stronger
Greener