Copy of letter sent to Councillor Sandra Jenkins, cabinet member for the environment at Hillingdon Council, regarding the recent MORI poll.

IN JANUARY, the council issued a press release reporting on the results of a MORI opinion survey which it had commissioned [Borough is on top of keeping the customer satisfied: poll,Gazette, January 28].

1,086 Hillingdon residents returned questionnaires answering questions about the council's image,

communications, information provision, priorities and local services.

Under local services, respondents were asked about their degree of satisfaction with the provision of waste collection, planning, safety, libraries, parks, education, leisure facilities, health,housing, social services, child care and youth facilities.

However, they were not asked to give a satisfaction rating for street cleansing, even though in the 2006 residents' survey, cleaner streets were flagged up as one of the most important factors amongst residents.

In spite of this, the press release claimed under 'main findings': "A clean and attractive borough - very high levels of satisfaction."

The supporting information listed underneath related to waste collection, which only indirectly has a bearing on cleanliness.

Can you please explain why the council chose not to include a question asking for a satisfaction rating for street cleaning and why, without proper supporting evidence,this claim was made?

The press release also states: "When compared to other London boroughs, the results put Hillingdon amongst the best in London".

I understand from the council's press office that the comparative figures used for supporting this claim came from a survey produced for London councils over two years ago.

Incidentally, this survey did ask respondents to give a rating for street cleaning.As well as being out of date,the results of this survey are not comparable to those from the council.

In making their comparison the council have treated a 'fairly satisfied' rating in their poll as equivalent to a 'good' rating in the London-wide poll, biasing the results in their favour.

Do you agree that the council was wrong in claiming that the results of its survey put Hillingdon among the best in London?

This is discussed more fully at www.hillingdon-watch.org.uk in the Street Cleaning and Litter and Press Release sections.

The latter provides links to all of the relevant documents. I look forward to hearing from you.

PETER SILVERMAN, www.hillingdon-watch.org.uk  Kingsend, Ruislip.