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Latest News

This area of the website contains all the latest news from BMG Research, as well as information about our recent projects and clients' experiences, and published reports from work we have carried out.

Results of the Journalism at work survey 2012 survey published
In December 2012 BMG undertook the delivery of an online survey for research into the employment and training experiences and views of individuals working in the Journalism profession.

Research into the value of Tier 4 international students to FE colleges and the UK economy published
Research undertaken by BMG on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to evaluate the value which Tier 4 international students have to FE colleges and the UK economy has now been published.

BMG Research selected by four landlords to complete the 2013 Tenant Satisfaction and Aspiration Survey
During the summer of 2010 BMG Research completed 1,700 face to face interviews with tenants of Stirling Council and of three local housing associations.

Providing a baseline measure for a new organisation – Health Research Authority (HRA)
The Health Research Authority (HRA) is a newly formed NHS organisation established on the 1st December 2011 as a Special Health Authority by the Secretary of State.

Mystery Shopper case study
BMG Research recently undertook a mystery shopping exercise on behalf of Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd in Lincoln.

Telling it how it is in NHS Wales
BMG Research has been commissioned by NHS Wales and Welsh Assembly Government to undertake a survey among NHS employees in Wales.

LGA Perceptions Survey
The Local Government Association (LGA) has commissioned BMG Research, to undertake a survey of their member organisations to understand their views of the LGA to help them plan for the future.

BMG Research’s Housing Team supports research and consultation exercises in England, Wales and Scotland
BMG Research’s Housing Team has been supporting social landlords the length and breadth of the Britain on a variety of research and consultation exercises.

Newham Council Liveability Survey and Annual Residents Survey
In 2012, BMG Research has continued its longstanding working relationship with Newham Council, with not only the re-commissioning of the 4th annual Liveability Survey, but also the recent confirmation that we will be managing the Council’s Annual Residents Survey (NARS).

Telling it how it is and taking the pulse
During Autumn 2012 BMG Research is undertaking two large scale surveys of employee satisfaction for local authorities. On behalf of Warrington Borough Council qualitative focus groups with staff are being followed by a online and postal survey to measure current levels of employee engagement, staff priorities, plus the quality of learning and development and line management. All staff will have the opportunity to take part in this "Tell us how it is!" consultation over a four week period.

Solicitors Regulation Authority work-based learning evaluation published
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published BMG Research’s final phase of evaluation of its Work-Based Learning Pilot (WBL).

The Green Deal
The Department of Energy and Climate Change's (DECC) launch of the Green Deal in October 2012

Local Council Tax Support Schemes
With the imminent abolition of Council Tax Benefit under the Welfare Reform Act, Local Authorities are required to develop their own local Council Tax Support Schemes, which will come into force in April 2013.

Small Business Survey 2012
BMG Research have been commissioned by BIS (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) to undertake its’ flagship research survey, the Small Business Survey 2012.

Exploring School Improvement Needs and Practices in London Schools
The Mayor of London’s Education Inquiry, established in December 2011 and due to report in September 2012, sets out to explore the key challenges facing London’s primary and secondary schools and to make recommendations on practical action with key partners.

BMG Research's Housing Team: 25th STAR Survey
Newport City Homes has awarded BMG Research its 2012 Resident Satisfaction Survey. This is the 25th ‘STAR’ Survey for the Housing Team at BMG Research.

Solicitors Regulation Authority – Evaluation of Work Based Learning
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has appointed BMG Research to carry out a final phase of evaluation on its Work-Based Learning Pilot (WBL). This project is taking place from January until June 2012 and will focus on the experiences and outcomes of the part-time cohort at Nottingham Law School and an analysis of the combined route offered by University of Northumbria. A further research strand will look at the outcomes and progress to date of the full time cohort following qualification earlier this year.

Planning for the future with BMG
A West Midlands district authority has commissioned BMG Research to undertake a resident consultation regarding the scale and character of local development over the next 15 years.

Renfrewshire survey of parents of 0 to 8 year olds
BMG has been commissioned by Renfrewshire Council and the Social Research Unit to carry out 400 interviews with parents of 0 to 8 year olds living in the local authority. Renfrewshire Council is doing this survey to get a broad picture of well-being of children aged 0-8 years across the area. The information will be used to identify the needs of Renfrewshire’s children and parents so that we can deliver the best services possible.

Bright new approach to customer satisfaction
BMG Research was recently commissioned by Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH) to manage their quarterly customer satisfaction programme. The STATUS replacement, the Standard Tenant And Resident Survey (STAR) is soon to be launched and both BMG and SARH are keen to take advantage of the flexibility of STAR and are working closely to develop a bespoke questionnaire that will best meet the needs of SARH.

BMG Research successfully completes another customer satisfaction survey within the Housing sector
BMG Research has successfully completed another customer satisfaction survey, this time on behalf of Trent and Dove Housing. Colin Channer, Projects & Performance Manager at Trent & Dove Housing, explains "On behalf of Trent and Dove Limited I would like to formally thank BMG Research for the high standard of professionalism that they displayed in producing the recent STATUS Survey for us. The survey work and report writing were undertaken to a high standard of competence, performance and execution. Special thanks are due to Bill Wakefield for his expertise in explaining the analytical date from the reports, his patience and tutoring abilities displayed on our visit to your offices and to Peter Davies for the delivery of the presentation to the company board.

BMG Research completes the Tollcross Police Pilot Survey for GHA
BMG Research has recently completed the fieldwork for the Tollcross Police Pilot Survey for Glasgow Housing Association (GHA). The survey was a follow up exercise to GHA’s Citywide Survey, for which BMG Research completed 3,600 interviews earlier in 2011. As with the Citywide Survey, the Tollcross Police Pilot Survey asked questions about housing, the neighbourhood and environmental services such as the weekly de-littering of back courts. It also explored awareness of the GHA Neighbour Relations Policing Team, which saw 12 police constables being seconded to GHA to tackle anti-social behaviour and make communities feel safer.

Customer Satisfaction Surveys; continuing the relationship
The Housing Team at BMG Research is delighted to be working once more with Eastbourne Homes, Stevenage Homes and with Venture Housing Association. Customer satisfaction surveys are being sent to over 2,000 General Needs tenants, Sheltered tenants and Leaseholders on behalf of Eastbourne Homes. BMG Research conducted STATUS Surveys on behalf of Eastbourne Homes in 2008 and 2009.

Local Government Group – Evaluation of the Communications Campaign for ‘Taking the Lead’ Approach
The Local Government Group (LGG) has developed the Taking the Lead approach to self-regulation in the local government sector that will help councils strengthen their accountability and revolutionise the way they evaluate and improve services.

UK Businesses participate in a major piece of European Research on Vocational Training – CVTS4
BMG Research has been commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department of Education (DfE), to carry out a minimum of 4,000 interviews with UK businesses by the end of 2011. This survey is the UK component of the European-wide Continuing Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) which aims to provide comparable data on continuing training in enterprises across participating EU and non EU European countries.

Legal Ombudsman Customer Satisfaction Research
The Legal Ombudsman is the new organisation set up under the Legal Services Act 2007 to which people can go if they are unhappy with the service they have received from lawyers. It has commissioned BMG Research to conduct a programme of quarterly surveys to assess customers’ perceptions of their confidence in, and satisfaction with, the services the Legal Ombudsman provides.

GEO Equality Survey 2011
The Equality Act 2010 came into force in October 2010. It replaced previous anti-discrimination legislation with a single act to make the law simpler, remove inconsistencies and to provide better protection against discrimination.

Tenant Satisfaction Surveys – BMG Research builds on previous work with Birmingham City Council and Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing
BMG Research’s Housing Team has once more been selected to undertake Tenant Satisfaction Surveys on behalf of Birmingham City Council and Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing (KNH). The Team are delighted to be working with both clients having completed similar surveys for Birmingham City Council in 2009 and 2010 and every year since 2006 for KNH.

Customer profiling in the Housing sector
BMG Research has recently been selected to undertake a Customer Profiling exercise on behalf of Manningham Housing Association. The two stage exercise will start in early January 2012, with profiling questionnaires being sent out to over 1,000 tenants. Up to two follow-up mailings will be sent to ensure response rates are maximised. The second stage of the exercise will involve follow-up telephone calls to collect profiling information from tenants not returning the postal element. All calls will be made by a dedicated team of researchers from BMG Research’s in-house call centre.

Exploring the evolving reputation of local government
BMG is undertaking a fascinating project on behalf of the Local Government Group, which aims to develop understanding of the reputation of local government, and the factors which impact upon this. The study, which involves qualitative consultation with local authority Chief Executives and with members of the public across the country, will explore whether and how perceptions of councils have changed under the new government and in the current economic climate, public views around cuts in services and the spending plans of local government, what gives people good or bad impressions of local government, and which parts of the work of local government are most highly regarded.

BMG Helping to Shape Local Services
A Local authority in the South East of England has commissioned BMG to manage a consultation about the future of its leisure services.

Understanding the repairs service offered to tenants
L&Q, one of the UK's largest housing associations has commissioned BMG Research to continue its long establish monthly survey into the repairs service it offers to tenants.

Cambridge City Council Employee Engagement Survey 2011
In April 2011, Cambridge City Council commissioned BMG Research to deliver a programme of research exploring levels of employee engagement. Having last conducted a survey in 2007, the research is looking to be redesigned to reflect the changing times and the current challenges being faced by local authorities.

STATUS Survey Action Planning workshop links to service improvement plans
BMG Research recently facilitated a STATUS Survey Action Planning workshop on behalf of the Blackburn based Housing Association, Twin Valley Homes. Every year BMG Research works with over 30 Housing Associations and other social landlords carrying out their STATUS Surveys.

BMG Research addresses Joint Tenants’ Conference
On Saturday 26th March 2011, Peter Davies, Associate Account Director (Housing), presented the keynote session at the Joint Tenants’ Conference for four landlords which provide housing services across the counties of Stirling and Clackmannanshire.

Young Peoples’ perceptions of the provision of confidential sexual health advice and services in Kent
In 2010, BMG was commissioned by Kent Teenage Pregnancy Executive Board, which has multi agency representation and is hosted by Kent County Council (KCC), to undertake a survey of young people in the county.

Cheshire Business Needs Survey
BMG Research has just completed a large survey with businesses across Cheshire. The work is on behalf of three Councils; Warrington Borough Council, Cheshire West & Chester Council and Cheshire East Council.

The Three Days ‘Booze-free Challenge’
BMG has been commissioned by Dr Foster Intelligence to conduct a short follow-up telephone survey to their original ‘3 days booze-free challenge’ in which women in the North and East of Birmingham were quizzed on their drinking habits and asked to sign up to the challenge of going three days per week without an alcoholic drink – BMG also conducted this face-to-face survey back in October.

BMG evaluates Denbighshire's Independent Education Recovery Board, on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government
In September 2007, an Independent Education Recovery Board was established by the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for the Department for Children, Education Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) to help to support Denbighshire County Council overcome shortcomings identified in its education system.

National College Annual Survey 2011
The National College has commissioned independent research agency BMG Research to carry out its annual survey 2011. A total of 2,250 interviews will be undertaken with head teachers, middle leaders, deputy heads, assistant heads and school business managers. A total of 500 interviews will be undertaken with Children’s Centre leaders.

Birmingham Childcare Sufficiency Assessment
On behalf of Birmingham City Council BMG Research will be surveying 4,000 households across all 40 wards in Birmingham, between December 2010 and February 2011 to identify childcare needs of families. For the first time, the assessment will also assess aspects of short breaks for disabled children where these overlap with childcare, for example, holiday schemes, after-school clubs and weekend clubs.

Helping young people to achieve – an Interim evaluation of the Reach the Heights programme
BMG has been commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government to undertake an interim evaluation of the Reach the Heights programme, which aims to reduce the number of young people in Wales who are not in education, employment or training (or at risk of not being so).

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