How Did We Build the Survey? Beginning the Collaborative Process
Last November’s village meeting at Holy Trinity Church marked a pivotal moment in Claygate's journey towards shaping its future. Over 200 residents turned up to lend their voices to the conversation about our village.
The format was very simple. A report was given on last summer’s “Claygate Can Do Better” campaign and the new campaign “Claygate: The Way Forward” was announced. Then a great list was made with a marker pen and flip chart (we said it was simple!). People from all over the room raised hands, stood up and told us what they thought made Claygate special. There were so many people and reasons to love Claygate that someone referred to the meeting as “The Great Claygate Love-In”!
While that is both funny and lovely, the CVA could see that there are many issues that need addressing as we go forward.
Translating these insights and ideas into actionable steps has required research, planning and collaboration. That's where our volunteer working groups have been vital. Ninety dedicated residents stepped forward, ready to roll up their sleeves and delve into the nitty-gritty of understanding the wishes and concerns of Claygate's residents.
The working groups cover six key areas: housing, shops and businesses, transport and parking, health and wellbeing, environment, and recreation and leisure. Each working group considered strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats to their area of focus.
The journey wasn't without its challenges, but our unwavering commitment to achieving the best for our village kept us going.
It became increasingly clear that a comprehensive survey was needed to ensure that the views of as many residents as possible were considered.
Drawing from the collective experience of the working groups, we designed a comprehensive survey with a full range of questions to discover your views about Claygate and its future. The questions were fine-tuned to capture nuanced perspectives, ensuring that everyone in the village had the opportunity to be heard.
But the journey doesn't end there. Once the survey closes, our dedicated team of volunteer researchers will collate the data and an independent researcher will then undertake the analysis, ensuring that this is conducted with scientific rigour and impartiality.
Elmbridge Borough Council is willing to listen to the people of Claygate and we need to be organised in our response - we need to be sure that we know what Claygate residents really want. The 200 people who came to the village meeting in November last year was a small sample of our 7500-strong population; the survey has already captured the views of many more residents.
Read the next instalment to find out how we developed the survey that will tell us what everyone in Claygate thinks about the village’s future and how we should move forward. #ClaygateTheWayForward #CommunityEngagement
Spread the word, share the survey. Look out for posters, banners and flyers bearing QR codes across Claygate or click this link.
Look out for posters, banners, and flyers bearing QR codes across Claygate, leading you to participate. Take the survey and let's pave the way forward.