The results of the borough’s biggest-ever survey are in - and reveal that residents worry about house prices, fly-tipping and safety.

Nearly 3,000 people responded to the 11-week consultation, which asked what they liked and disliked about the area, as well as their hopes for its future.

Litter and housing were common concerns, and over half of the secondary school children surveyed said they intended to leave the borough in the next 20 years.

During Monday’s launch event at Barking and Dagenham College, leader of the council Darren Rodwell admitted “we lost touch with the community,” before explaining that the “phenomenal response” to the Borough Manifesto would change this.

He told gathered residents and representatives from charities and organisations such as the emergency services: “It’s got to be led by this community, or it’s not worth doing.”

Cllr Rodwell gave the floor to cllr Saima Ashraf, deputy leader and cabinet member for community leadership and engagement, and chief executive Chris Naylor, who explained that now they had the community’s insights, the council would now work together with those assembled as the “Barking and Dagenham Delivery Partnership” to boil down the survey responses into “a very small number of clear targets”.

It’s hoped these goals, used to guide council policy over the next 20 years, will be drawn up by March.

For more information, visit lbbd.gov.uk