05 March 2018
An island-wide opinion survey of 1,000 islanders reveals that the public want modern and more digital public services.
The survey, conducted on behalf of the States of Jersey by the UK polling company, ComRes, found:
- 84% of islanders want to be able to apply for government services in one place, instead of having to contact each department separately
- 91% of islanders say that the government should transparently measure the quality of services it delivers
- 76% of islanders think the government should provide more of its services online
The survey also finds that while 76% say it is easy to find information about government services, and 64% say services are customer friendly, only 32% of residents think that the States of Jersey listens to residents and takes their views on board.
When asked what two things the States should do to modernise public services:
- 22% first cite improvements to a range of public services, including a new hospital, healthcare and education
- 20% first cite improved transport, including buses, roads, traffic, taxis and public transport
- 15% first cite improved service provision, through online services, listening to the public and better decision-making
The survey also asked islanders what they most like and dislike about living in Jersey, and how concerned they are about a number of issues. The survey found:
What, if anything, do you like most about living in Jersey today?
- 28% like Jersey because it is a safe place to live
- 21% like the beaches
- 14% say it’s a beautiful island or like the scenery or views
What, if anything, do you like least about living in Jersey today?
- 24% say the cost of living is too expensive
- 19% say it’s difficult to leave the island, due to the cost of transport and the impact of the weather on services
- 9% say housing is too expensive.
How important are the following issues in Jersey? (Asterisk denotes very small, non-zero number.)
| Cost of living | 72 | 24 | 2 | 1 | * |
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| Strength of economy | 67 | 27 | 4 | 2 | * |
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| Quality of education | 76 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
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| Environmental plans | 59 | 32 | 6 | 2 | * |
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| Cost of healthcare | 62 | 29 | 8 | 2 | * |
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| New hospital plans | 67 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
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| Level of personal tax | 51 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
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| Managing population | 62 | 26 | 8 | 3 | * |
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| Affordable housing availability | 69 | 20 | 7 | 5 | * |
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| Cost of government | 46 | 35 | 12 | 4 | 2 |
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| Impact of Brexit | 36 | 32 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
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States of Jersey Chief Executive, Charlie Parker, said: “We commissioned this survey to find out what islanders really think, because we don’t systematically listen to the views of the public and we rely too much on anecdote when discussing policies and services.
“The survey clearly shows that government needs to listen more, and that there is a huge appetite among residents for the modernisation of public services. This reinforces my determination to transform the States of Jersey into a customer-focused, responsive, value-for-money organisation, providing more digital services.
“The survey also provides clear evidence about what islanders like and what they are concerned about, building on the insights that we’ve gained during the Future Jersey process. I’m sure that those will be taken on board by current and future Ministers in establishing the priorities that they want the public service to carry out.”
ComRes interviewed 1,000 Jersey residents over the phone between 12 and 22 February 2018. Data were weighted to be representative of Jersey adults aged 18+ by age, gender and parish. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
ComRes report on Islanders' views
ComRes: States of Jersey modernisation
gov.je