An independent consultant conducts a Community Survey every two years.
Around 400 residents are randomly chosen to provide their views about a broad range of our services. Participants are asked what issues are important to them and what is their experience of contacting Council.
The survey provides valuable information to Council about residents' levels of satisfaction with key services and what is changing over time.
View the 2020 Community Survey Report.(PDF, 1MB)
In 2020, satisfaction with Council improved across all main measures, with the 2020 results, compared with 2018 results, shown in the following table:
| Measures |
2020 Results |
2018 Results |
|
Overall satisfaction with Council
(this is scored out of a range of 1 to 5, with 1 being very unsatisfied to 5 being very satisfied)
|
3.09 |
2.76 |
|
Percentage of residents 'somewhat satisfied' to 'very satisfied' with Council
(this is the percentage of residents giving Council a score of 3 out of 5 or higher)
|
78% |
64% |
| Number of services where satisfaction levels increased |
37 out of 39 service areas |
19 out of 39 service areas |
|
Satisfaction with customer service provided by Council
(this is scored out of a range of 1 to 5, with 1 being very unsatisfied to 5 being very satisfied)
|
3.52 |
3.26 |
| Percentage of residents 'somewhat satisfied' to 'very satisfied' with the customer service they received from Council |
73% |
68% |
| Percentage of residents who had their customer request resolved during their first contact with Council |
42% |
38% |
The highest priority issues for residents in 2020 were:
- Condition and maintenance of roads – 18% of residents listed in top two priorities.
- Affordability/availability of housing and land – 16% of residents listed in top two priorities.
- Managing development – 11% of residents listed in top two priorities
The three most important services for residents were:
- Local Roads
- Planning for the Future
- Recycling Services
The three services residents were most satisfied with were:
- Libraries
- Water Supply
- Garbage Collection
The three services residents were least satisfied with were:
- Local Roads
- Affordable Housing (a service provided by NSW State Government)
- Public Transport (a service provided by NSW State Government).
It can take time for Council decisions to start to return results and there is often an interval, sometimes years, between decisions being made and positive outcomes being seen ‘on the ground’ by residents.
One example is the past Council decisions and projects to generate revenue that are now enabling record investment in roads, culverts and bridges.
Another example was the decision to invest in upgrading Council’s website that created the current capability for increased communication and engagement, another area residents are now more satisfied with.
Overall, the 2020 results are positive but there is always room for improvement and, based on the results, Council will continue to focus on a number of key areas including:
- Local roads and infrastructure and management of development.
- Council leadership and future planning, with a focus on keeping community informed and involved.
- Housing affordability, which is a State Government responsibility but because of its importance to our community, it remains an area where Council will look to innovate and strongly lobby for improved outcomes in the Shire.