The organisers of the Ventnor 2007 Health Check survey have kindly sent through the preliminary results of the survey to share with our readers. You can still take part in the survey by completing one of the forms on VB or at Ventnor Library. If you’re interested in how the survey was structured and the results analysed, get in touch with the organisers via the website at the bottom. But for now, over to Mark. Ed
We thought it was high time to give you an update on the progress on the Ventnor 2007 survey. This report is based on a snapshot analysis of 438 responses as of 30th September.
There was a good cross section of ages in the responses, the youngest being 6 and the oldest 80.
We would like to thank everyone for filling in the survey so far and to those of you that stopped us in the street, or called us with your views.
The top ten views in each of the three areas are:
What do you like about Ventnor?
1. The natural geological features
2. The Friendly, Close Knit Community, and atmosphere
3. The Architecture/Victorian Seaside
4. The Climate/Tranquillity/Clean Air/Relaxed
5. The Shops (Small/Independent)
6. The Parks & Gardens
7. The Seafront/Beach/Mediterranean Setting
8. The Restaurants/Pubs/Cafes
9. The Music Festivals/Arts/Carnival/Film Society
10. The Unique Character/Old World Charm
What do you not like about Ventnor?
1. The empty Shops/Not Enough Choice
2. Over-development/Empty flats
3. Teenage Gangs at Night/Louts
4. Run down Shops/Flats above/Houses
5. Vandalism/Graffiti
6. Dog Fouling
7. Lack of Parking/Traffic/Speed/Pollution
8. Boarded Up/Smashed Shop Windows
9. Lack of good shops/restaurants
10. Litter/Cigarette. Ends
What improvements would you like to see?
1. Policing/Manned 24hr Station
2. Improve variety of Shops and Restaurants
3. Playground/Football/Basketball/Facilities
4. Pedestrianisation/one way Esplanade
5. Shops Repainted
6. Restrict High Rise Developments on Seafront
7. Promotion of Town/Businesses/Tourist Information Centre
8. CCTV
9. Redevelop run down areas in keeping with the heritage of the town.
10. Improve Town Centre
What else is going on and what will happen next?
We will be running public workshops through December focusing on specific issues coming out of not just the survey you kindly contributed to, but also the huge amount of data and information from published sources that will be put onto the project web site over the next month.
The purpose of the workshops will drive the objectives for the five year plan which will be tested also in public meetings.
It is very important that the broadest possible mix of residents, and age groups, attend these workshops, which will be on Saturday afternoons, probably at the Ventnor Winter Gardens.
A special workshop for young people exclusively will be held at the Library in December. The young have made a huge contribution to the research so far, and as they are our future in many ways, it is right that they be the first to be consulted. More details on this and the other workshops will follow in the next couple of weeks.
We expect to see the Town Plan published in March 2008. It will be a community led plan for our future.
For anyone new to this project, do please take a few moments to look at here
Susan Scoccia and Mark Compton-Hall
