RESULTS from Golden Plains Shire\u2019s annual community satisfaction survey are in and they reveal perceptions on how Golden Plains is run haven\u2019t changed much from last year.<\/p>\n
Four-hundred people were questioned during the process which saw the municipality\u2019s overall performance rating remain at 49 out of 100.<\/p>\n
Mayor Cr Owen Sharkey described the results as \u201creally disappointing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the amount of effort that I know that goes on behind the scenes it\u2019s really disappointing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Areas of year on year improvement included a two-point rise in consultation and engagement, up to 49, and lobbying, up one by one to 48.<\/p>\n
Overall council direction slipped by a point from 46 to 45 and the biggest satisfaction hit came on sealed roads, dropping five points to 39.<\/p>\n
Other measures were stable in 2020 with customer service holding at 63 out of 100, unsealed roads at 36 and community decisions at 47.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the roads we\u2019ve gone down four or five points, but we\u2019ve done more on roads in this one year than what we have collectively for the last number of years,\u201d Cr Shakey said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve allocated additional funds into that and we\u2019ve brought in the roads charter and then when the public are asked how the roads are, we were upbeat and positive because we know we have done everything possible within our budget.\u201d<\/p>\n
When compared to other like municipalities, identified as geographically large rural council, as well as all other local government areas across the state, Golden Plains was down by 10 to 15 points on the average.<\/p>\n
Residents in the central survey area of the Shire, which stretches from Shelford to Rokewood and up to Napoleons, were consistently the least satisfied in all but two categories \u2013 overall council direction and customer service.<\/p>\n
Respondents aged 18-34 rated the Shire highest in overall performance, overall council direction and community decisions.<\/p>\n
Out of 400 people surveyed 63 per cent said that had had contact with the Shire in the last 12 months.<\/p>\n
The community satisfaction survey is a State government mandated process that all municipalities must undertake yearly.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s conducted via phone by a private company and costs the Shire about $20,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me you come in on council and you look to this survey as a panicle or a really good reference point to see where you\u2019re at,\u201d Cr Sharkey said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYet at the end of my four years now I look back and think, well if I could have back that $80,000, I think we could put that to better use.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
RESULTS from Golden Plains Shire\u2019s annual community satisfaction survey are in and they reveal perceptions on how Golden Plains is run haven\u2019t changed much from last year. Four-hundred people were questioned during the process which saw the municipality\u2019s overall performance rating remain at 49 out of 100. Mayor Cr Owen Sharkey described the results as […]<\/p>\n