Decline in Shire satisfaction

RESULTS from this year’s Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey have shown a small decline in public perceptions of Golden Plains Shire council.

The shire scored 42 on the survey which is one mark behind last year’s result of 43 and statistically significantly lower than large rural and state-wide averages.

“The score of 42, though below state and rural averages and a mark lower than last year, reflects the challenges faced by our community and council in the past year,” said outgoing Golden Plains Shire interim CEO, Michael Tudball.

“Factors contributing to this result include changes in service delivery, community expectations and economic pressures.”

The Shire’s best performing service area was waste management with a score of 60, however, this score is significantly lower than the state average of 67.

The lowest performing service areas were sealed and unsealed roads with scores of 27 and 26 respectively.

This continues a 10-year downward trend in performance.

“This result is influenced by several challenges, including the significant wear and tear on our rural road network, increasing traffic volumes and budget constraints,” said Mr Tudball.

“Weather events and the need for extensive maintenance across our vast road network have further compounded these issues.

“Council is committed to addressing these challenges by prioritising road maintenance and seeking additional funding opportunities, including Federal and State Government investment in major road projects, most notably the duplication of the Midland Highway, and increased funding for significant local road projects.”

Mr Tudball said Golden Plains Shire staff are working to enhance communication with the community and increase engagement opportunities.

“To address this, council is implementing a range of initiatives aimed at improving service delivery and increasing customer satisfaction,” he said.

“We are enhancing our communication and responsiveness to community needs in the recent introduction of a new customer relationship management system.

“Additionally, we are reviewing our internal processes to ensure that we deliver services as efficiently and effectively as possible.”