Findings from our 2023 residents' survey

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Consultation has concluded

Each year the council commissions an independent market research agency to conduct a representative residents’ survey. This research helps us to better understand what residents think of the council, the services we provide and other issues affecting the quality of life in the county.

Here are just some of the things people told us:

  • Two in five respondents (40 per cent) were satisfied with the way that the council runs things, 24 per cent were neutral and 34 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied. The remainder did not know.
  • One in four respondents (25 per cent) agreed that the council provides value for money, 30 per cent were neutral and 38 per cent of respondents disagreed. The remainder did not know.
  • Just under two in five (39 per cent) of respondents were satisfied with the services provided by the council, 30 per cent were neutral and 30 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied.
  • 31 per cent of respondents spontaneously suggested road surfaces in poor repair/dangerous/too many potholes as the most important issue that residents in their local area faced.
  • Road and pavement repairs (61 per cent) and health services (43 per cent) were the factors most likely to be selected by respondents as most in need of improvement in the local area. Other factors included traffic congestion (38 per cent), affordable decent housing (37 per cent), and public transport (25 per cent).
  • Nearly three-quarters of respondents (74 per cent) were satisfied with their local area as a place to live.
  • 62 per cent of respondents ‘felt worse off’ compared to a year ago when asked about their current financial situation.
  • Just over one in four (26 per cent) of respondents said they had ‘sometimes struggled’ to pay at least one of their household bills over the last 12-months, 11 per cent said they struggled ‘most of the time’ and 4 per cent said they struggled ‘all of the time’.

We did:

We are listening and take what people have told us very seriously. We have already used this valuable feedback to help us improve the customer experience of the council, to help shape services and to inform our 2024/25 budget setting process.

 This includes:

Summary reports

We have provided summary reports of the main findings from our recent residents' surveys:

Each report shows the results of the survey as percentages of the people that took part. The survey data has been statistically weighted to reflect the population of Oxfordshire by council area, age and gender using census data. For a copy of the detailed report for each year, please contact consultations@oxfordshire.gov.uk

National comparisons

Since 2012, the Local Government Association has carried out national resident satisfaction surveys. LGA polling typically takes place in February, June and October each year. We use these LGA polls to help put our survey findings into context. We acknowledge that the LGA polls use a different approach, so this data can only be used as a guide rather than a like for like comparison.



Each year the council commissions an independent market research agency to conduct a representative residents’ survey. This research helps us to better understand what residents think of the council, the services we provide and other issues affecting the quality of life in the county.

Here are just some of the things people told us:

  • Two in five respondents (40 per cent) were satisfied with the way that the council runs things, 24 per cent were neutral and 34 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied. The remainder did not know.
  • One in four respondents (25 per cent) agreed that the council provides value for money, 30 per cent were neutral and 38 per cent of respondents disagreed. The remainder did not know.
  • Just under two in five (39 per cent) of respondents were satisfied with the services provided by the council, 30 per cent were neutral and 30 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied.
  • 31 per cent of respondents spontaneously suggested road surfaces in poor repair/dangerous/too many potholes as the most important issue that residents in their local area faced.
  • Road and pavement repairs (61 per cent) and health services (43 per cent) were the factors most likely to be selected by respondents as most in need of improvement in the local area. Other factors included traffic congestion (38 per cent), affordable decent housing (37 per cent), and public transport (25 per cent).
  • Nearly three-quarters of respondents (74 per cent) were satisfied with their local area as a place to live.
  • 62 per cent of respondents ‘felt worse off’ compared to a year ago when asked about their current financial situation.
  • Just over one in four (26 per cent) of respondents said they had ‘sometimes struggled’ to pay at least one of their household bills over the last 12-months, 11 per cent said they struggled ‘most of the time’ and 4 per cent said they struggled ‘all of the time’.

We did:

We are listening and take what people have told us very seriously. We have already used this valuable feedback to help us improve the customer experience of the council, to help shape services and to inform our 2024/25 budget setting process.

 This includes:

Summary reports

We have provided summary reports of the main findings from our recent residents' surveys:

Each report shows the results of the survey as percentages of the people that took part. The survey data has been statistically weighted to reflect the population of Oxfordshire by council area, age and gender using census data. For a copy of the detailed report for each year, please contact consultations@oxfordshire.gov.uk

National comparisons

Since 2012, the Local Government Association has carried out national resident satisfaction surveys. LGA polling typically takes place in February, June and October each year. We use these LGA polls to help put our survey findings into context. We acknowledge that the LGA polls use a different approach, so this data can only be used as a guide rather than a like for like comparison.