District pride increasing
7 August 2018
Pride in the Waipā district is growing according to a recent survey.
Each year Waipa District Council commissions independent telephone research targeting more than 400 Waipā residents picked at random. The survey measures how satisfied residents are with the Council's performance and identifies areas for improvement. A further 100 residents are surveyed each quarter on an ongoing basis. The latest survey showed that:
- A growing number of Waipā residents (76%) are proud of their district
- Satisfaction with the performance of regulatory services has significantly increased
- Satisfaction with public facilities has steadily increased
- There has been a significant increase in library usage across the district
Parks and reserves remain the most used of Council facilities with more than three quarters of residents very satisfied' with parks and reserves maintenance. More than half of Waipā residents have used a Council sports field in the past year and just under half have used the district's playgrounds
Waipa District Council's reputation remains strong and overall satisfaction with Council's performance remains consistent. About half of Waipā residents are happy with the way their town is developing.
However, perceptions about financial management remain with residents concerned about transparency and Council's spending decisions. The proportion of residents who believe they know a great deal about Council has increased significantly over the year but more than a quarter of residents (27%) still say they have little knowledge of Council activities.
The survey also showed that more than four in 10 residents are unclear on the role of Community Boards.