Good morning, everybody. My name's Steven Holmes and I've been invited here today to talk about the results of the recent opinion poll that we have carried out in the local area. This research was commissioned by the council who believe that knowledge of local residents' concerns might guide future policy making. I will begin by summarizing the most important results.
The vast majority of residents stated that quality local health care was their biggest concern, not surprisingly considering the recent budget cuts and the closure of Billington Central Hospital. They also expressed great concern about access to affordable housing and clear opposition to the recent property speculation that has been going on in the area. Residents are also worried about a number of educational issues. They believe that some of the local schools are underfunded and understaffed and are not providing an adequate learning environment for their children. Crime rates, however, do not seem to be of great concern. Most of the people interviewed said that local policing policies had been successful in tackling threats to personal safety and property. They also expressed a high degree of satisfaction with many other council-run services such as refuse collection, recycling facilities and community centre provision. Finally, it's worth noting that many people feel that bus and underground services and schedules are inadequate to deal with local demand and that the council should consider revising and extending these services.