INVERCLYDE women’s champion says everyone must play their part in when it comes to making ladies living in the area feel safer.

The council has launched a new survey asking women and girls about what activities they take part in in public places and how safe they feel while doing them.

Councillor Lynne Quinn had pitched the idea of a consultation earlier this year after having conversations with women across the district in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder in Kent back in March.

She hopes the exercise will eventually lead not just the council to make changes, but other organisations too.

Cllr Quinn said: “The solution will not just come from the council.

“I hope we can engage with partners like sports groups and the police following this survey.

"Everyone needs to be a part of the solution.

“Things won’t change unless everyone chips in.”

The survey asks women about what activities they undertake and where, what clubs they are a member of and whether they have experienced any barriers to joining.

It also asks ladies if there are any places they feel unsafe in and if there are any improvements that should be made in parks and on public pathways.

Cllr Quinn says she is keen to stress the survey is not about levels of crime, but how women feel about their safety.

She added: “We have an internal women’s forum so we had a conversation on the survey before it went out and we were very keen to make sure it was about the perception of safety.

"There may not be a high crime rate in a certain area, but it’s about what women perceive, whether they feel somewhere is safe.

“It’s not about violence against women or crime, it’s about whether women are limited as to what they can do because of their perception of safety and I think the council has managed to convey that in the survey.”

Once the survey has closed at the end of the month, the council is planning to hold a number of 'listening events' where women will have the chance to speak more about issues they raised in-person.

Councillor Quinn said: “We can have more in-depth conversations with women at these events and I think that’s where we will get the quality data and information really.

“It’s the variety of responses that will really help us as each woman will have a different view.”

The survey, which takes around 10 minutes to complete, is available at www.inverclyde.gov.uk/yoursay