Template Questions
All 10 Community Survey Questions
Ten questions covering the full spectrum of community and resident satisfaction. Question 5 (sense of community and belonging) is often the most surprising finding — community cohesion scores below 3 in areas with otherwise adequate services indicate social isolation requiring different interventions than service quality improvements. Question 10 (open suggestions) is your most valuable data for prioritising local investment — the specific items residents name are what they'll remember when the next election or funding review comes.
01How satisfied are you with the quality of local services in your area?Scale 1–5
02How safe do you feel in your local area, day and night?Scale 1–5
03How would you rate the quality of roads, pavements, parks, and public spaces?Scale 1–5
04How well does your local council or organisation keep you informed and listen to your views?Scale 1–5
05How strong is your sense of community and belonging in this area?Scale 1–5
06How good is your access to local facilities such as libraries, leisure centres, and green spaces?Scale 1–5
07How well do local services represent value for money for council tax or membership fees paid?Scale 1–5
08Overall, how satisfied are you with [your area / organisation]?Scale 1–5
09How likely are you to recommend this area or organisation to someone considering moving here?NPS Scale
10What is the one thing that would most improve your community or local area?Open Text
Who Uses This Template
Built for Every Community Organisation
Local Councils & Authorities
Measure resident satisfaction with public services, report against Local Government Performance Framework indicators, and evidence investment decisions at full council.
Housing Associations
Measure tenant community satisfaction alongside property satisfaction. TSM-adjacent dimensions for Regulator of Social Housing reporting.
Nonprofits & Charities
Demonstrate community impact for grant applications. Evidence beneficiary need for funding bodies and trustees. Report against charitable outcomes.
Residents' Associations
Represent member priorities with data in planning consultations, local authority engagement, and neighbourhood improvement projects.
Community Satisfaction Dimensions
Six Dimensions of a Thriving Community
Community satisfaction is multidimensional — a neighbourhood can have good infrastructure but poor social cohesion, or strong community belonging but declining service quality. Understanding which dimensions are driving or dragging overall satisfaction allows targeted, evidence-based intervention rather than broad spending that doesn't address the specific failure mode.
Service Quality
Local services and value for money. Questions 1 and 7.
Safety
Perceived safety day and night. Question 2.
Infrastructure
Roads, public spaces, and facilities. Questions 3 and 6.
Communication
Whether residents feel heard and informed. Question 4.
Belonging
Sense of community cohesion. Question 5.
Overall & NPS
Overall satisfaction and recommendation intent. Questions 8 and 9.
Sample Results
Your Community Dashboard
After 128 residents in a mixed-tenure urban ward responded, the communication gap against infrastructure scores was the clear priority — addressed with a new monthly community newsletter and an open planning meeting format that increased future survey participation by 40%:
Community Satisfaction Survey · 128 responsesAnnual 2026 · Riverside Ward
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Overall satisfaction
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Community NPS
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Feel safe
Local service quality3.6 / 5
Safety (day & night)3.8 / 5
Infrastructure & spaces3.4 / 5
Communication & listening2.7 / 5
Sense of community3.5 / 5
Value for money3.1 / 5
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this community satisfaction survey template free?
Yes. Free forever with no signup from you or your community members. Up to 100 responses free. Pro ($19/month) allows 10,000 responses for large-scale resident surveys across entire neighbourhoods or wards.
Who should use a community satisfaction survey?
Local councils, housing associations, nonprofits, community organisations, and residents' associations. Used to measure service satisfaction, evidence grant applications, report against performance frameworks, and represent resident priorities in planning consultations.
How do I get residents to respond?
Email your resident or member list, share in community social media groups, include in your newsletter, and place notices in communal areas. Emphasise that responses directly influence specific decisions about services or investment. Target 20–25% response rate as a meaningful minimum.
Should community surveys be anonymous?
Yes — residents are significantly more willing to report concerns about safety, anti-social behaviour, or service failures if anonymous. VoteGenerator stores no names or addresses. Review results at area level — never use to identify individual respondents.
Can this survey help with grant funding applications?
Yes. Community survey data is strong evidence in grant applications — demonstrating resident need and community engagement capacity. Funders increasingly require evidence of community consultation. Aggregated scores and open text provide the qualitative and quantitative evidence most funders require.
How do I use community data to prioritise local investment?
Map the lowest-scoring dimension to available budget lines. Low safety scores support investment in lighting or neighbourhood policing. Low communication scores support resident engagement channel investment. Present dimension scores at public meetings with specific investment commitments they inform.
How often should local authorities run community surveys?
Annually as a baseline. Before and after major service changes or infrastructure projects to measure impact. For active community development programmes, every six months. Many UK local authorities publish resident satisfaction data annually as part of Local Government Performance Framework reporting.
Can this be used for residents' association consultations?
Yes. Neighbourhood associations, residents' associations, estate management committees, and community groups can use this to gauge member priorities and satisfaction. Results provide evidence-based representation in planning consultations and local authority engagement.
What questions should a community satisfaction survey include?
Effective community surveys cover: quality of local services, feelings of safety and security, infrastructure and public space quality, communication from the local authority or organisation, sense of community and belonging, access to facilities and resources, value for money of local rates or fees, overall satisfaction with the area or organisation, likelihood to recommend, and open suggestions. This template covers all ten dimensions.
How do I get residents to respond to a community survey?
Distribute via email to your resident or member list. Share via community social media groups and local Facebook pages. Include in your community newsletter. Place printed notices in communal areas with the survey link. Hold brief drop-in sessions where residents can complete the survey. Emphasise that responses directly influence specific decisions about services or investment — specific is more persuasive than generic. Target 20-25% response rate as a meaningful minimum.
How often should local authorities run community satisfaction surveys?
Run annually as a baseline. Run before and after major service changes, infrastructure projects, or policy decisions to measure impact. For ongoing community development programmes, run every six months. Many UK local authorities are required to publish resident satisfaction data annually as part of Local Government Performance Framework reporting — this survey covers the key dimensions.
Can this survey be used for neighbourhood and residents' association consultations?
Yes. Neighbourhood associations, residents' associations, estate management committees, and community groups can use this template to gauge member priorities, satisfaction with local services, and support for proposed projects. The results provide evidence-based representation in planning consultations and local authority engagement.
What is the difference between a community satisfaction survey and a resident satisfaction survey?
The terms are often used interchangeably. 'Resident satisfaction survey' typically focuses on a specific property or housing development. 'Community satisfaction survey' covers the broader neighbourhood or community experience including services, safety, infrastructure, and social cohesion. This template covers both — editable to focus on either property management or wider community dimensions.
How do I use community survey data to prioritise local investment?
Map the lowest-scoring dimension to available budget lines. Low safety scores support investment in lighting, CCTV, or neighbourhood policing. Low infrastructure scores support road, green space, or facility maintenance prioritisation. Low communication scores support investment in resident engagement channels. Present dimension scores at public meetings with the specific investment commitments they inform.
Can this survey help with community funding applications and grant bids?
Yes. Community survey data is strong evidence in grant applications — demonstrating both the level of resident need and the organisation's capacity to engage its community. Funders increasingly require evidence of community consultation and demonstrated need. Aggregated satisfaction scores and open text responses provide the qualitative and quantitative evidence most funders require. Run the survey before preparing your application.
What is community cohesion and how does this survey measure it?
Community cohesion refers to the degree to which residents feel connected to each other and to the place they live — trust, shared identity, and willingness to help neighbours. Question 5 (sense of community and belonging) and Question 9 (likelihood to recommend the area) together give an indirect measure of community cohesion. Low scores on both dimensions in the same neighbourhood typically indicate structural isolation — often addressed through community events, shared spaces, or resident engagement programmes.
Give your community a voice — with data behind it
10 questions. Anonymous. Evidence-based community decisions.
Use This Template — FreeNo signup required · Free up to 100 responses · Pro from $19/month