Do people feel they belong? Can they have a say? These survey answers add residents’ experiences to the facts about homes and services.
Survey estimates Chichester district · people aged 16 and over · 2025/26 release · the whole district, including places outside the city.
● Local estimate ■ England estimate. Lines show the range of uncertainty, not changes over time. Small differences alone do not establish a meaningful gap.
Community and belonging
Often or always lonely
6.5%
October 2025–March 2026
England: 6.7%
How this was measured
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.
Question: How often do you feel lonely? Answer counted: Often/Always
95% confidence interval: 4.1%–9.9%. Sample: 547 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.
Question: How strongly do you feel you belong to your immediate neighbourhood? Answer counted: GROUPED: Very/Fairly strongly
95% confidence interval: 55.9%–67.1%. Sample: 510 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.
Question: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? - I am proud to live in my local area Answer counted: GROUPED: Agree
95% confidence interval: 67.4%–77.7%. Sample: 516 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.
Question: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? - I would recommend my local area to others as a good place to live Answer counted: GROUPED: Agree
95% confidence interval: 70.5%–80.3%. Sample: 496 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.
Question: Satisfaction with your local area as a place to live Answer counted: GROUPED: Satisfied
95% confidence interval: 79.2%–88.4%. Sample: 529 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.
Question: How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the green and natural spaces in your local area? Answer counted: GROUPED: Satisfied
95% confidence interval: 81.0%–90.0%. Sample: 489 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.
Question: To what extent do you agree or disagree that you personally can influence decisions affecting your local area? Answer counted: GROUPED: Agree
95% confidence interval: 20.4%–29.5%. Sample: 530 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.
Question: Formal volunteering at least once a month in the last 12 months Answer counted: Total (yes)
95% confidence interval: 18.0%–26.5%. Sample: 530 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.
April 2025–March 2026 · experiences in the previous 12 months
England: 83.4%
How this was measured
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · April 2025–March 2026. Answers refer to the previous 12 months.
Question: Engaged with the arts in person in the last 12 months Answer counted: Total
95% confidence interval: 87.4%–93.7%. Sample: 565 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES engagement pathway. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count. Engagement pathway; check questionnaire and method before joining to Participation history.
April 2025–March 2026 · experiences in the previous 12 months
England: 62.4%
How this was measured
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · April 2025–March 2026. Answers refer to the previous 12 months.
Question: Visited a heritage site in person at least once in the last 12 months Answer counted: Any type of heritage in Table J1 rows 19 to 28
95% confidence interval: 68.7%–79.3%. Sample: 563 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES engagement pathway. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count. Engagement pathway; check questionnaire and method before joining to Participation history.
April 2025–March 2026 · experiences in the previous 12 months
England: 30.9%
How this was measured
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · April 2025–March 2026. Answers refer to the previous 12 months.
Question: Visited a public library building or mobile library in person at least once [Note 11] Answer counted: Visited a public library building or mobile library in-person in my leisure time
Visited by a home library service
Used another library outreach services
95% confidence interval: 27.8%–39.0%. Sample: 464 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES engagement pathway. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count. Engagement pathway; check questionnaire and method before joining to Participation history. Library questions were omitted from the community paper questionnaire in 2025/26; the sample base is smaller. Includes home and outreach library services, not just building visits.
April 2025–March 2026 · experiences in the previous 12 months
England: 41.9%
How this was measured
Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · April 2025–March 2026. Answers refer to the previous 12 months.
Question: Visited a museum or gallery in person at least once in the last 12 months Answer counted: Visited during leisure time
95% confidence interval: 47.3%–58.6%. Sample: 565 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.
CES engagement pathway. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count. Engagement pathway; check questionnaire and method before joining to Participation history.
Adult and children’s activity use different definitions. Explore Sport England’s published results ↗. We have not republished these tables or neighbourhood models while their file-reuse terms remain unresolved.
Local initiatives, real responsibilities and routes to help.
Chichester Vision and regeneration strategy
A shared direction for the city centre, with connections, public spaces and economic activity at its heart. The strategy is an official plan; the action suggestions on this site are ours.
The 2025/26 annual report records a new identity toolkit and development of a Place Board in 2026/27. This supports a shared local story; it is not evidence that every partnership project has delivered.
Council and police work together on local safety. The city-centre order addresses alcohol-related antisocial behaviour; it is not a blanket ban on drinking.
Fishbourne, Tangmere, Bosham, Selsey and the Witterings have distinct planning histories. A designated neighbourhood area is not automatically an adopted neighbourhood plan. Check the council register for the relevant parish.
The annual report records more than £365,000 allocated across 63 community projects in 2025/26. Allocation is not the same as expenditure or an independently measured benefit.
Read monitoring reports and follow the council’s links to current conditions.
Chichester District Council
The district handles planning outside the National Park and housing services. The county handles roads, schools and social care. The city council represents the city and manages its own local responsibilities. NHS and police services have separate decision-makers.
