What the consultation is
We carried out research with Renfrewshire residents to find out:
- how they feel about where they live
- the services the council provides
- changes that could be made to services in the future.
The research was conducted by Research Resource on behalf of Renfrewshire Council.
A representative sample population of Renfrewshire residents were selected at random and received a telephone or face-to-face survey interview.
Residents could also choose to complete the same survey online or complete a paper copy in Renfrewshire libraries.
The survey was anonymous, and no one can be identified by any data provided.
A sample population of survey respondents were also invited to participate in focus groups and discuss in more detail how they feel about where they live, the services the council provides and changes that could be made to services in the future.
Focus group findings are also anonymous, and no one can be identified by any data provided.
Why we’re consulting
The purpose of the research was to:
- measure perceptions of and satisfaction with council services
- inform planning and decision-making in relation to budget decisions
- benchmark against results from the Scottish Household Survey (2023)
- access new information, ideas and suggestions
- support the introduction of the new Consultation and Engagement Policy.
The research will help us identify which services residents want to prioritise and inform future spending decisions.
Consultation outcome
Key findings show:
- people rate Renfrewshire highly as a place to live and are proud of their own their neighbourhood
- more than half of responses agree the council provides high quality services and does the best with the money available
- parks, gardens and open spaces are the most used services each month, followed by household waste recycling centres and sport and leisure facilities
- satisfaction is highest with schools and nurseries, children’s play areas, parks, gardens and open spaces and libraries
- to help balance its budget, the council should prioritise making better use of its buildings and target resource to places and people with the greatest need
- supporting older and vulnerable people, children and families and maintaining roads, open and public spaces are among the most essential priorities.
The survey also used Scottish Household Survey questions to benchmark the council’s performance nationally, with the results providing a more representative picture across Renfrewshire and most feedback more positive than the Scottish average.
It also highlighted key areas with lower satisfaction which will be considered as part of our continuous performance scrutiny and improvement planning.
View the full results below.
Key dates
Telephone interviews, face-to-face interviews and focus groups
Open for feedback
Friday 2 May 2025
Closed and reviewing feedback
Wednesday 27 August 2025
Outcome available
Wednesday 26 November 2025
How we’re using your data and your feedback
We'll use the information you submit to:
- process this consultation
- check and compare information with our existing records like responses from previous consultation
- possibly share details with other council services and partners if required.
Consultation responses will be publicly available on request. If you want to keep your response private, tell us when you submit your response. We may still be obliged to disclose your response, on request, due to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and so, we cannot guarantee complete confidentiality.
See more information on how the council handles your personal information.
