Use of technology is lower in Medway than elsewhere in Kent, according to a new survey, and fewer than seven-out-of-10 people have cooked a meal from scratch in the last three months.

These are among the findings of the Kent and Medway Citizens’ Panel (KMCP), a group of almost 2,000 volunteers, set up by the KM Group and Kent County Council to peer into the lifestyles of people across the region.

More than eight in 10 (85 per cent) Medway residents have lived in Medway for more than 10 years and over seven in 10 (71 per cent) for more than 21 years.

Nine out of 10 (89 per cent) expect to remain in Medway for at least five years.

One-in-five (22 per cent) has been in the same home for more than 20 years and only seven per cent think it 'unlikely’ that they will continue living in the county for the next five years.

When the survey was conducted - before the credit crunch began making big headlines – eight-in-10 were 'satisfied’ with Kent (including Medway) as a place to live and 78 per cent of Medway residents were 'satisfied’ with their local neighbourhood.

Twenty-seven per cent expect their neighbourhood to 'get worse’ over the next few years; 14 per cent think it will 'get better’ and 55 per cent expect it to 'stay the same’.

Only 84 per cent of Medway residents admit to watching TV in the last three months. Seventy four per cent have read a newspaper, 63 per cent have cooked a meal from scratch, (rather than microwaving a pre-prepared meal), 55 per cent have been to a café or restaurant, 54 per cent have read a book and 41 per cent went to a pub or wine bar.

More than half (54 per cent) had either contacted Medway Council themselves or knew that a member of their family had done so in the last year, most commonly by phone and most commonly to apply or register for a service.

The survey was conducted for KCC and the KM Group by Ipsos MORI. Face-to-face in-home interviews were conducted across Kent and Medway with 1,838 people aged 16 and over between February 25 and April 30, 2008.