Rochdale people unhappiest in Greater Manchester

The results of a new survey carried out by local authorities to ask local people for their perceptions about the area in which they live has revealed that the Borough of Rochdale has the lowest percentage of people in Greater Manchester who are satisfied with their local area as a place to live.

The National Place Survey, based on more than 500,000 people's views and perceptions about where they live, revealed that only 64.6 per cent of people in Rochdale were satisfied, compared to 80.5 per cent in Bury and 74.6 per cent in Bolton. The average for the North West was 76.9 per cent.

The key findings are:

• Rochdale has lowest percentage in Greater Manchester of people who are satisfied with their local area as a place to live.
• 35.7% of Rochdale residents think that anti social behaviour is a problem in their local area, this is the highest in Greater Manchester and compares to a North West average of 22.9%.
• Only 17.3% of Rochdale residents agree that the police and other local public services are successfully dealing with anti social behaviour and crime in their local area and this is the lowest in Greater Manchester. The North West average is 25.7%.
• 45.1% of Rochdale people think that drug use or drug dealing is a problem in their local area. This is the second highest percentage after Manchester at 46.1%. The North West average is 34.8%.
• Of those aged 65 and over in Rochdale only 73.9% are satisfied with both their home and their neighbourhood and this is the lowest percentage in Greater Manchester. The North West average is 82.5%.
• Only 59.2% of people in Rochdale would say that they have been treated with respect and consideration by their local public services in the last year. This is the second lowest in Greater Manchester, after Oldham at 57.4%. The North West average is 70.1%.