The Big Notts Survey
To help us develop our plan, we asked you — our residents, communities, businesses and organisations — to take part in the Big Notts Survey.
Held during summer 2021, it was your chance to share your thoughts and feedback on what we could change or focus on over the coming years.
The survey helped us understand:
- how the pandemic, lockdowns, and other restrictions have affected Nottinghamshire
- our main challenges and opportunities as we recover from the pandemic
- your long-term goals for yourselves, your communities and the County.
Over 12,000 people responded. Thank you again if you took part.
Using your input through the survey, and our own findings, we’re now prioritising these key areas.
Supporting economic recovery
The pandemic has caused uncertainty with job security and finances. Over 1 in 3 people surveyed said these were their biggest worries since the pandemic began, especially over the next two years. We also saw that people of working age were the most concerned.
You also told us that two of the main things that would improve life in Nottinghamshire were ‘better opportunities for education and training’ and ‘good job opportunities’. In fact, young people put education, training and long-term job prospects at the top of their list.
We know how important a thriving economy is to our residents’ wellbeing, so we’re working to boost education and skills, attract investment and support businesses with their pandemic recovery. We’re doing all we can to make Nottinghamshire a place where everyone can get on in life and reach their potential, no matter where they live.
Promoting good mental health and wellbeing
Mental health challenges have grown during the pandemic. Almost half (41%) said the mental health of themselves and their loved ones was one of their biggest concerns since the pandemic began. And, mental health remains a concern for the near future. This issue has resonated with Nottinghamshire’s young people who say their mental health is their main concern over the next two years.
We’ve listened to your concerns and have made it a priority to use our influence to ensure that places where people live and work increasingly promote good mental wellbeing. We’ll also work with the NHS to give all our residents access to the right mental health and wellbeing support at the right time. You can take a look at our proposals on mental health and wellbeing here.
Making communities stronger and safer
Helping our communities to stay safe is one of our top priorities as a Council. Over 1 in 3 people hoped to see lower crime in their local area over the next 10 years. So, we’ll lead the Safer Nottinghamshire Board, working closely with Nottinghamshire Police, to reduce crime and make people feel safer and more protected. We will also focus on keeping our most vulnerable communities safe. Read about our plans for keeping our communities safe here.
You told us that the community coming together was one of the most positive things that came out of the pandemic. Vibrant, supportive communities play an important role in peoples’ wellbeing, and we want to help these ties to develop, so people can support themselves and each other. We’ll do this by improving the way we work with the voluntary and community sector through our Community Compact [PDF], and empowering people to be active in the communities where they live. Read about how we're planning to support communities here.
Taking action on climate change
The survey highlighted another positive to come out of the pandemic: our reduced impact on the environment, brought about by less road traffic and more digital connectivity. You also told us that you’d like to see Nottinghamshire becoming a greener County in the future. Just under 1 in 4 said reduced pollution and improved air quality was one of the positive changes they’d most like to see continue after the pandemic, and 1 in 5 young people named climate change as one of their top concerns for the near future.
We’re committed to protecting and enhancing Nottinghamshire’s environment, supporting more sustainable lifestyles and reaching net carbon neutrality in all Council activities by 2030. You can take a look at our proposals for protecting the environment here.
Investing in local areas
Many of our communities have really valued their local areas during the pandemic. You told us you want to carry on making use of green and open spaces, and shopping on local high streets. Over 1 in 3 respondents said affordable housing could improve life in Nottinghamshire, and over 1 in 5 want to see roads and pavements in a better state of repair.
Our County’s country parks and countryside give people the space to exercise, socialise and unwind. So, we’re developing them, while boosting access at the same time. We’ve made highways one of our top priorities, using a ‘right repair, first time’ approach. And, we’ll work closely with district and borough partners to encourage investment and create affordable homes in our communities. You can read about our plans for investing in local areas here.
Supporting communities through the remainder of the pandemic
A top concern for communities over the next two years is the continuing pandemic and the impact it could have on our health, jobs and communities. We stand with our communities, however things unfold, and have a range of services and support in place.
Firstly, our COVID-19 Recovery Framework [PDF] sets out the plans we’ve developed with our partners to help communities and businesses get the information and support they need at the right time. Next, our COVID-19 Response Service is in place to manage local outbreaks. Finally, we’re developing our Community Support Hub to connect communities to support locally, when it’s needed the most.