THOUSANDS of residents across rural areas of the Yorkshire Dales will have their chance to comment on the delivery of public services this week.

North Yorkshire as a whole will be taking part in a major new survey to build up a picture of what we all think about local services in the county and about the area in which we live.

The Place Survey will be sent to over 21,000 homes in the county this week as part of a national initiative to help local authorities and other public sector organisations work out how well they are performing and what they could do to improve.

The survey asks for opinions on all aspects of the ‘quality of life’ in each local area – Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough Borough and Selby. It includes issues such as community safety, health and dentistry provision, entertainment and the arts, parks and open spaces as well as other services provided by local councils and the police.

Each local authority has teamed up with North Yorkshire County Council to find out what it’s like to live in their area so they can be certain they are dealing with the issues that concern and matter to residents. All authorities work closely with other public services – police, health, business and community groups – to make decisions about the provision of services for local people.

The survey asks everything from how safe you feel after dark in your area and how satisfied you are with refuse collection to what you think about your local GP, shopping facilities and traffic congestion. And it also asks how well local people feel informed about local public services overall and whether they feel they can get involved in local democracy and volunteering.

Anyone receiving a survey – which is being conducted for all the authorities by research company, Snap – has until December to complete it. The full results will be released in early 2009.