Spring 2026 Survey Reveals Rising Trust and Safety Perceptions in Uddevalla Municipality

The spring 2026 citizen trust survey results for Uddevalla have been released, showing a cautious but positive trend in local public sentiment towards politicians, safety, and municipal services. Conducted through two complementary surveys — the national SCB citizen survey and a locally administered Indikator survey — around 8,000 residents over 18 were randomly selected, with over 3,000 responding, yielding a 39% response rate.

The survey indicates incremental improvements in key areas of public trust and safety. Notably, the percentage of residents feeling quite or very safe when out during the evening increased slightly from 72% to 74%. Trust in local politicians has risen to 27%, which is still relatively low but represents progress. Feedback on municipal services was mixed: preschools, primary schools, and high schools received generally positive evaluations, while social services were rated lower by respondents.

Municipal leader Martin Pettersson emphasized that the foundation of citizen trust lies primarily in daily interactions with municipal services. He noted, “Citizen trust in their municipality is a concern for the entire community. High trust does not develop overnight; it takes a long time to build.” Pettersson also highlighted the influence of external factors such as media portrayals on public perceptions of services and politicians.

These insights will directly inform ongoing initiatives to enhance transparency and increase dialogue between the local government, citizens, and municipal employees. The aim is to improve service experiences and build stronger, long-term trust across all sectors.

Uddevalla’s commitment to measuring and actively responding to citizen trust reflects a broader effort to address concerns and strengthen democratic engagement at the local level. As the municipality continues these efforts, future surveys will gauge the effectiveness of new policies and community engagement strategies.