Perception of Council’s performance on the rise
The number of Waipā residents satisfied with Council’s performance over the past year has risen compared to 2019.
Each year Waipā District Council checks in with residents on how Council is going and where improvements could be made.
The survey measures satisfaction with Council’s facilities and services, and evaluates public perceptions around reputation, trust, leadership and financial decision making.
Council also benchmarks itself with 18 other Councils nationwide who use the same surveying framework. Waipā’s reputation overall sits well above average compared to other councils.
Chief executive Garry Dyet said he was pleased to see a five per cent improvement on Council’s performance, which sits at 40 per cent, up from 35 per cent last year.
“Perceptions around leadership, trust, Council’s competency and ability to achieve good outcomes for the district, and Council working in the best interests of the community have also seen an improvement, and that says we’re heading in the right direction.”
Seventy per cent of respondents are proud of the district, with the highest levels in Cambridge (77 per cent) and Pirongia (75 per cent), on par with 2019 and 2018.
“However, we know value for money heavily influences perceptions around Council’s performance, and while this has increased slightly by three per cent this year, it continues to remain low compared to other metrics at only 25 per cent,” he said.
“It’s similar across other councils but remains an area we need to focus on. You get a whole heap of services bundled into your annual rates - roading, water, wastewater, parks, cycleways, libraries - the list goes on.
“No one likes to pay rates or taxes, but the value a ratepayer derives from their rates compares well when lined up alongside other utility bills like power and energy.
“So we’ve got some work to do to help residents understand what they’re paying for and what they’re getting in return,” Dyet said.
The overall average district reputation score is 80. At individual ward level, Cambridge sits at 89, Pirongia at 82, Te Awamutu at 76, Maungatautari at 71, and Kakepuku at 65.
Council’s reputation profile is very similar compared to 2019. 52 per cent of residents are classified as ‘champions’, four per cent of residents are ranked ‘admirers’, 37 per cent are ‘sceptics’ and six per cent are ‘pragmatists.’
However, Dyet said there were some noticeable areas where improvements could be made.
The resident perceptions survey is carried out quarterly over the course of the financial year (1 July – 30 June). All data is collated after the final quarter and measured against performance over the previous three years.
Over this time, performance has decreased the most in services, facilities and infrastructure. This was worst in quarters two and three, but bounced back in quarter four, so is unlikely a result of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Satisfaction with museums and swimming pools saw a drop, largely due to the temporary closure of the Cambridge Pool while the new facility is built, and the long-anticipated wait for Te Ara Wai, a new museum in Te Awamutu.
Being transparent also remains an area of focus with only 39 per cent of residents saying they are satisfied.
“This feedback is important to us as we work through the next stages of our long term planning for the district and work alongside residents to set the direction for Waipā for the next 10 years,” Dyet added.
516 responses were collected over the 2019/2020 financial year which provides an acceptable level of confidence.
The full report is available on Council’s website here: Annual Residents Survey Report 2020