Council seeks public feedback

2 May 2011

Waipa District Council will conduct a survey of residents this month to understand how it is performing in the community and to identify where services could be improved.

Council's group manager planning and community relations Ross McNeil said the council was committed to continually improving services.

To find out where we're doing well and where we can improve, we need to ask people about their experiences with the council. An independent organisation, The National Research Bureau (NRB), has been engaged to do a survey on behalf of the council.

He said the NRB survey had been carried out annually in Waipa since 1992 and most councils in New Zealand ran the same survey in their communities. Waipa's performance would be compared with results from similar councils.

A random selection of residents from the district's five wards will be telephoned and asked for their opinion on a range of council services including customer service, water, roading, footpaths, animal control, parking, recreational facilities, resource management, waste, civil defence and building control.

The survey will also include questions about local representation such as rating councillors and community board members on their performance.

Last year 401 people participated in the survey. Most said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the district's public toilets, footpaths, dog control and council staff. Areas of concern for the council were parking, road maintenance and road safety.

The survey is set to start on May 13 and will be finished by May 22. A summary of the results will be available in August.

Anyone wanting more information can contact Sandra Des Forges at the council on 07 872 0030.

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Jacqui Humm. Ph: 027 532 1760.

Email: Jacqui.humm@waipadc.govt.nz