Community Satisfaction Survey 2024 results released

Published on 02 July 2024

The latest Community Satisfaction Survey results have seen residents in the Loddon Shire rate positively Council’s customer service, appearance of public areas and waste management.

Council noted the 2024 survey results at its June Meeting held last week (25 June).

Council’s Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey, conducted by JWS Research, collected responses from 400 residents in Loddon Shire across four quarters (surveying 100 residents each quarter) on a range of Council services.

With a score of 68, Council’s customer service rated above the state-wide average score of 67 and the small rural council average of 66.

Likewise, Council’s score of 70 for waste management rated higher than both the state-wide and small rural council average of 67.

With a score of 71, the appearance of public areas rated above the state-wide average (score of 68) and was on par with the small rural council average.

Council’s overall performance was rated at 53 – in line with both the state-wide and small rural group averages (scores of 54 and 53 respectively).

Overall, Council performed in line with the small rural group and state-wide averages on most service areas evaluated, including value for money in services and infrastructure.

Unsealed roads, planning and building permits and sealed local roads were Council’s lowest performing areas – a trend that has continued for the previous four years of survey data.

This was also the case for emergency and disaster management, and elderly and family support services.

Loddon Shire Mayor Cr Gavan Holt thanked the residents who were contacted as part of the survey for providing their feedback.

“It is positive to see Council’s customer service, waste management and appearance of public areas continue to rate well among our residents,” Cr Holt said.

“Having said that, as highlighted in the survey results, there are areas of concern for our community, including unsealed roads.

“This is consistent with a downward trend across the state for community satisfaction with unsealed and sealed roads generally.”

Cr Holt said a number of factors might have contributed to the community’s lower satisfaction with the road network, including extensive flooding during the past two years across significant parts of the state.

“We have seen this higher-than-average rainfall have impacts on road networks across the state, including in Loddon Shire.

“This higher rainfall has also contributed to larger harvest seasons, which increases heavy vehicle traffic on these already damaged roads,” Cr Holt added.

“Delays in access to disaster recovery infrastructure funding has also subsequently delayed repairs to flood-affected roads due to lengthy assessment timelines.

“We appreciate and thank the community for their patience while Council continues to pursue disaster recovery funding arrangements and subsequently undertake flood repair works to our local road network.”

Another factor that Loddon contends with in its scoring for satisfaction with sealed roads are community perceptions of road management responsibilities.

A number of surveyed community members, when asked which roads in particular they were not satisfied with, identified arterial roads in the Shire. Arterial roads are the responsibility of the Department of Transport, not Council.

The Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey (CSS) is conducted each year to gather data on how satisfied residents are with Council’s resources, facilities and services. 

Council’s 2024 Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey is available from Council’s website.