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Research

MORI Research into the importance of Cleaner Safer Greener Communities



Acceptable Environmental Standards

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Acceptable Environmental Standards (245K) arrow
Improving the quality of public space and people's satisfaction with their neighbourhood are essential to delivering our liveability PSA 8 target and helping create cleaner, safer greener communities. In January 2006, CLG commissioned UCL and IPSOS Mori to carry out research to explore the viability of establishing acceptable standards for local environmental quality , to reach a better understanding of the relationship between public priorities and expectations of local services.

The report proposes:

  • a theoretical framework which could be used to both set and measure standards of local environmental quality at local authority and neighbourhood level
  • an engagement tool to aid communities and service providers to discuss and agree priorities for improving local areas and set standards that can form part of local performance arrangements, as set out in the Local Government White Paper.

These two reports informed much of the work we are now doing to create cleaner safer greener communities. The findings in The Rising Prominece of Liveability Or Are We Condemned To a Life of Grime? Presented some telling results, the things that really mattered to people about the areas where they live were basic problems such as litter, kids hanging around on street corners, abandoned vehicles, grafitti and crime having a significant effect on quality of life.

So while the media's main focus will often be statistics on education, health, welfare, crime and politics what really matters to people are the things we live everyday. We all walk down the street, we all feel our personal safety is of great importance, we want children and teenagers to have constructive activities in decent spaces.

The second report Liveability 2005 & Frontiers of Performance III reveals encouraging results - the hard work of central and local government being recognised by the public — but there is still a long way to go.