Residents Attitude Survey

The Residents Attitude Survey (RAS) is Brent's main way of measuring how residents view the council and its services. Brent usually conducts a RAS at least once every three or four years.

The RAS is carried out by face-to-face interview (conducted by research company Ipsos MORI) with a sample of respondents. The responses are weighted so that they represent Brent's population accurately. This survey method is widely recognised as providing the most reliable results. Therefore, the information which we receive from this survey is very valuable.

The 2009 RAS was conducted between May and August 2009. The overall results for individual wards (the ward profiles) can be viewed by clicking on one of the related links on the right.

• MORI final report (.pdf, 2310Kb)

Brent is also required by national government to undertake another survey, called the Place Survey, every two years. It is also carried out by Ipsos MORI. The latest Place Survey results are included in the related links list on the right.

The Place Survey is different as it is a postal survey. Whilst it still provides us with useful information, this method of measuring satisfaction is less reliable. In addition, its questions mainly focus on attitudes toward the local area overall and how the range of local organisations work together (e.g. Council, the Police, NHS Brent). The RAS is concerned solely with attitudes toward the council.

There are significant differences in responses to similar questions asked in both the Place Survey and RAS. In many cases, the RAS shows more positive responses about the local area and council services than those in the Place Survey results. Where these differences arise, the RAS tends to be a more reliable indicator of residents' views in Brent for the reasons given above.