Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

To collect data about the size, character, aims and views of amenity societies. To explore their relationship with local government and their role in the planning process.

Main Topics:

Variables Year of formation, whether a re-formation of an earlier society, reason for formation, main aims of society, main focus of society's activity. Other amenity societies in area or town (specific type) contact with other societies, residents' associations in society's area of interest, perceived differences between residents' associations and amenity societies. Societies opposed, basically hostile or unsympathetic to own society's views. Issue on which society has been most active in last two years. Accuracy of newspapers to society (reasons), opinion on newspapers' attitude to own society, whether society has sufficient access to media in general. Prior to re-organisation: body responsible for planning authority in the area, treatment by local authority, contact with local authorities, whether society represented on a Conservative Area Advisory Committee, whether society regularly inspected new planning applications, number of councillors who were 'paid-up' members. Whether society intends to continue work under new local authorities, whether reorganisation will be beneficial to society's work (reasons). Respondents asked to agree/disagree with a number of statements about the new councils, planning and society membership. Whether Planning Department officials were generally sympathetic to views and values of society, degree of sympathy shown to society by various types of public official. Opinion on whether society should reflect the social class composition of the town or district (reasons). Number of active members, definition of 'active', reasons for joining society, distribution of newsletter, reasons for preserving old buildings, priorities of society, reaction to other people's views of society, whether society helps with wider issues of natural resource shortage, suggested ways of making local people aware of wider issues.

No sampling (total universe)

Postal survey