Please note: this is an archived news article release

This article was published on Friday, 16 August, 2019. The information contained within may be out of date or inaccurate. News articles and media releases older than 60 days are archived for future reference.

Positive results in the 2018/19 Community Satisfaction Survey

This year, Greater Shepparton City Council continued to engage Thinkfield to conduct the Community Satisfaction Survey. Thinkfield used Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) as a representative random probability survey of residents aged 18+ years in the Greater Shepparton municipality.

Thinkfield conducted quarterly interviews with a total of 800 Greater Shepparton residents in September 2018, December 2018, March 2019 and June 2019. Each quarter 200 residents completed interviews. The same survey conducted 500 interviews in 2017-18 and 400 interviews in the years prior, with additional interviews enabling more accurate results.

Overall satisfaction with Council remains strong with around three quarters of residents (72 per cent) satisfied with the performance of Council, resulting in an index score of 62. This is the joint highest score for Council since the record began in 2012, after the same score was recorded in 2017/18.

In community consultation, Council registered a satisfaction index score of 55, giving Council a higher score than the regional centre average (54) for the second consecutive year.

Council also scored well in advocacy with an index score of 57, which was three points higher than the regional centre and state-wide averages of 54.

Greater Shepparton residents are also happy with the customer service provided by Council, which registered an index score of 71 for the second consecutive year.

Council also saw a further increase in the satisfaction of sealed local roads, with an index score of 57, which is the highest score Council has received since this section of the survey was introduced in 2016.

The overall direction of Council received an index rating of 60, which was down four points on last year, but seven points above the state-wide average.

The highest index scores received on services and facilities were weekly household rubbish collection (84), recycling collection (82), sports fields (81) and the library (80).

Greater Shepparton City Council Director Corporate Services, Chris Teitzel, said the survey is an important measure for Council to understand whether it is meeting community expectations of the services it provides.

“The survey aims to gather impressions on a number of services, facilities and activities the Council provides,” Mr Teitzel said.

“It provides insight into ways Council can improve service delivery, and all information gathered will be used to provide ongoing improvements for Greater Shepparton.”

“Council thanks everyone who took part in the survey, your feedback is extremely important in the future of our region.”

The next survey will commence on Friday 13 September 2019.

	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012
Overall Performance	62	62	52	49	57	58	51	55
Community Consultation	55	57	53	51	58	59	55	56
Advocacy	57	59	51	49	56	62	54	55
Making Community Decisions	53	54	49	46	56	56	0	0
Customer Service	71	71	66	60	69	72	70	68
Sealed Local Roads	57	55	40	48	49	0	0	0
Overall Council Direction	60	64	53	44	54	59	51	51

	GSCC	Regional Centres	State-Wide
Overall Performance	62	58	60
Community Consultation	55	54	56
Advocacy	57	54	54
Making Community Decisions	53	52	55
Customer Service	71	72	71
Sealed Local Roads	57	57	56
Overall Council Direction	60	52	53