Resident survey shows gradual improvement; highlights clear priorities

Waipā District Council's latest Residents' Perception Survey shows gradual improvements in community satisfaction while reinforcing that residents want Council to remain focused on delivering value for money, maintaining essential infrastructure and strengthening trust.

The independent survey found satisfaction with Council's overall performance increased from 19 percent to 20 percent over the past year. Satisfaction with Council's overall services, facilities and infrastructure increased from 24 percent to 27 percent, while perceptions of Council's image and reputation improved from 23 percent to 26 percent.

Mayor Mike Pettit said the results reflected progress during a year of significant change while providing a clear mandate for where Council should focus.

"This has been one of the most challenging years in Council's recent history. We've worked through major reform including the transition of water and wastewater services to Waikato Waters, responded to severe weather events, and made difficult decisions while continuing to invest in the services our communities rely on.

"It's encouraging to see satisfaction moving in the right direction, but we're under no illusion that there is still work to do. These results provide a clear picture of where we need to focus."

One of the strongest improvements was in public facilities and open spaces, with satisfaction increasing from 35 percent to 44 percent. The measure for Council being transparent and communicating openly rose six percent from 15 percent to 21 percent. Regulatory services also improved from 21 percent to 26 percent.

Council's reputation benchmark remained stable at +57, within the ‘acceptable’ range.

More than a quarter of respondents who commented on Council's performance raised concerns about spending, wanting a stronger focus on core services or dissatisfaction with Council decisions.

The survey also identified opportunities to improve road maintenance, cycleway safety, litter control, water management and the Te Awamutu Museum. Satisfaction with water management reduced slightly from 43 percent to 41 percent, while roads and footpaths declined marginally from 20 percent to 19 percent.

Chief Executive Steph O’Sullivan said the Council’s Future Us project and 10 Year Long Term Plan process would continue to ‘sharpen the sword’ and ensure focus is in the right places.

The survey was conducted over four quarters during the period from June 2025 to July 2026. The full report can be found on the Council website here.