Industry overview
What is shaping government
Government departments, PSUs and public programmes need independent evidence on citizen needs, service delivery and programme outcomes, often gathered across large and diverse geographies.
- Programmes are expected to show measurable outcomes
- Citizen feedback is shaping service delivery
- Large field surveys need rigorous quality control
Client background
A local authority, working in England. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- A local authority
- Sector
- Government
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Government research, Quantitative research, Reporting & insights
Client challenge
The council needed evidence on residents’ priorities ahead of budget decisions. Budgets were under pressure, and councillors wanted residents’ views before making difficult choices. The council needed residents’ views on priorities before difficult budget decisions.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: a residents’ survey for a local council.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of residents.
- Produce results that can be compared across groups and locations.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 9 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 2,500 residents.
- residents2,500
Audiences we typically reach in government
Citizens and householdsProgramme beneficiariesFrontline workersLocal officialsBusinesses using public services
Geographic coverage
Coverage: England. Market: United Kingdom.
- United Kingdom
Research methodology
A structured quantitative design, so results could be compared across groups, locations and time.
- 1Brief
- 2Postal, online and telephone survey
- 3Insight
We ran a mixed-mode survey to reach all age groups, weighted results and reported by ward. The survey was offered by post, online and telephone, with quotas by age and ward, and results were weighted to the population. Open comments were coded to capture residents’ own priorities. Open comments were coded into themes and shared with service managers.
Government researchQuantitative researchReporting & insights
Sampling strategy
- residents
- 2,500
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
- Telephone contacts were dialled from verified lists, with quotas tracked live by the field team.
Data collection
- Telephone interviews were run from our CATI centre, with calls monitored for quality.
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
Data quality & validation
- Live call monitoring and recording review
- Call-back verification
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
Key findings
- Road maintenance and social care were top priorities.
Mixed modes reached residents online surveys miss.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: mixed modes reached residents online surveys miss.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: road maintenance and social care were top priorities.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The council used results in budget consultations.
- The council published the results and explained how they shaped the budget.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Evaluation findings with programme recommendations
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: what changed after a programme?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.