Know Your Council data released
Published on 06 December 2021
Know Your Council data collected from councils by the State Government has been released this week and shows Loddon performing well in 2020/2021 across many key service areas.
Data about nine services is collected annually and provides an opportunity for the community to access consistent information about the performance of councils across Victoria.
Services include
- Animal management
- Aquatic facilities
- Food safety
- Governance
- Libraries
- Maternal and child health
- Roads
- Statutory planning
- Waste collection
Animal management performs well, rehoming almost 60% of animals impounded, a much higher rate than similar councils rehoming nearly 40%. The cost of the service is just under $11 per head of population compared with $17.67 for similar councils.
Aquatic facilities have performed as well as similar councils with number of visits per head of population at 2.08 compared with 1.97 in similar councils and 2.27 across all councils. Cost remains a concern at $22.34 per visit compared with $14.16 across all councils. However, similar councils cost $23.04, reinforcing the challenge of providing services across dispersed populations.
The provision of food safety services was impacted by numerous businesses being closed due to COVID-19. Library services were also impacted by COVID-19 with figures suggesting that Loddon borrowers use physical library collections more than similar councils or all councils. With library agencies often closed due to COVID-19, access to physical collections resulted in active library borrowers dropping to 6.35% compared with more than double that figure in similar councils and all councils.
Governance showed strong performance in community satisfaction with council decisions with a rating of 61 out of 100 compared to an average of 56 and 57 respectively for similar council and all councils.
Maternal child health services performed consistently with counterparts in other councils.
Sealed local road requests were very low compared with other councils, at only 7.9 requests per 100km compared to more than 38 for other councils. This could be attributed to reduced travel due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Council also performed well compared to other councils in the cost of sealed local road reconstruction and resealing per square metre.
Statutory planning performed well compared with other councils, with a lower time taken to decide planning applications and a higher proportion decided within required time frames. A reduced cost for the service can be attributed to a number of vacancies during the 12 months.
Waste collection service quality performed well. The cost of the service for Loddon and similar councils is higher than all councils largely due to the relatively small number of properties within significantly larger areas of land. Waste diverted from landfill remains below the level of similar councils and all councils but has improved over the past 4 years.
Data is also collected about sustainable capacity and financial performance.
Loddon’s financial performance showed high costs per property assessment but low average rate per property assessment of just $1244.14 per property compared with an average of $1722.85 for similar councils and $1798.88 for all councils. Indicators also show that Council is reliant on rates for 36.59% of its income while similar Councils have rates between 52% (similar councils) to almost 62% (all councils) of their income. Council remains loan free and has high levels of unrestricted cash.
Asset renewal and upgrade as a percentage of depreciation was almost 80% compared with over 100% by other councils. This is an area Council is reviewing over the coming 12 months.
Council’s sustainability indicators show higher than average expenses per head of population, highlighting the challenge of providing services and infrastructure across a large geographic area. Workforce turnover was lower than other councils despite Loddon employing additional grant funded staff during the period as part of the State Government’s economic stimulus response to COVID-19.
To view the Loddon Shire data visit the Know Your Council website.