Satisfaction with Edinburgh as a city to live in is the highest it’s ever been, the City of Edinburgh Council’s annual residents’ survey has shown.

According to the Edinburgh People Survey 2015, based on interviews with a cross-section of more than 5100 people across Edinburgh, 96 per cent of citizens are satisfied with life in the capital, with two thirds of respondents happy with the way the Council manages the city.

The research, which is in its ninth year, focuses on a number of key areas, including perceptions of local neighbourhoods, satisfaction with the Council’s delivery of services like refuse collection, roads maintenance and schools and the ways in which the public make contact with the Council.

Amongst the findings, it was shown that 84 per cent of participants feel safe in their neighbourhood after dark – up from 75 per cent in 2008 – while the majority of respondents agree that the Council cares about the environment, rising to 72 per cent from 58 per cent in 2010.

The survey also revealed that more people are contacting the Council using the website than by phone for the first time, demonstrating the positive impact of the Council’s digital channel shift project.

The survey also highlighted key areas for improvement, where satisfaction has decreased or remained low, including street cleansing, refuse collection and road and pavement maintenance.

Cllr Andrew Burns, leader of the council, said: “This year’s Edinburgh People Survey makes for encouraging reading, with positive figures demonstrating the impact of good work carried out by the Council.

“That said, there are still areas of concern, particularly in light of ongoing financial constraints and an increasing demand for services, and it is our intention to act on the feedback gleaned from the survey to improve the city for everyone.

“Thanks to the survey we are able to take account of public opinion each year when we set our budget, focusing on the key frontline services that matter the most to people, like health and social care and road maintenance.”

Cllr Frank Ross, deputy leader of the council, added: “Edinburgh citizens’ quality of life is our priority, and through the Edinburgh People Survey we are able to sense where we’re getting it right and where more needs to be done.

“This year, we have continued to see perceptions of the city and the services we provide improve in many areas. However, we’re keen to see satisfaction increase across the board and, by responding to the findings, in particular those areas highlighted for improvement, we hope to see even better results in next year’s survey.”