Waipā residents’ survey results stable despite challenging year
Satisfaction levels with Waipā District Council have remained largely stable over the past year, despite significant financial pressures and ongoing national reforms.
The 2025 Annual Resident Perception Survey results follow a period where satisfaction had declined post-COVID but began to recover in 2024. This year’s findings confirm that trend has stabilised, with no significant declines across key measures.
Chief executive Steph O’Sullivan said the results reflect the difficult environment the Council and community are operating in.
“Elected Members had to make tough trade-off decisions through the Long-Term Plan to balance affordability with the need to invest in growth and infrastructure,” she said.“Despite this, residents are telling us we’re holding steady, which is a strong platform to build on and we have a number of initiatives already underway to address many of the issues raised.”
The survey highlighted particular strengths in the district’s parks, community facilities, and open spaces, which remain highly valued by residents. Investment in core infrastructure such as footpaths, roads, and stormwater continues to be a priority, with measurable improvements noted in footpath safety.
Council is also investing in future-focused initiatives. Ahu Ake, Waipā’s 30-year Community Spatial Plan, was adopted during the year after extensive community engagement, and is now shaping other major programmes such as Cambridge Connections. A multi-year digital transformation is underway to make it easier for residents to connect with Council, including the phased introduction of AI-enabled tools and a new Customer Experience Framework. The highest increase in resident satisfaction was how queries were handled, up 11 percent.
The survey also highlighted areas where more work is needed. Māori respondents continue to report lower satisfaction, particularly around contributing to the district’s vision and direction. Council has appointed a Kaihautū Director Strategic Māori Partnerships to its Executive Team to strengthen partnerships with iwi and mana whenua.
Younger residents also reported lower satisfaction and limited opportunities to participate in decision-making. Enhancing youth engagement is now a key priority to ensure younger voices are part of shaping Waipā’s future.
“On balance, these results show we are on the right track, but we want to ensure all voices are heard, and there is still much work to do,” O’Sullivan said.
“We’re focused on continuing to improve core services, building authentic partnerships, and creating meaningful opportunities for our community to have a say. Every voice counts and our aim is to be an inclusive and responsive council. If everyone is not heard, then no one is heard.”
Benchmark results comparing Waipā with other councils will be available later this month.
You can read the full report here.
