Public satisfaction in the performance of Queensland councils is on the rise, according to a biennial survey commissioned by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ).
The findings of the 2015 Community Satisfaction Tracking Study suggested councils are doing a better job of delivering core services such as building and maintaining roads, footpaths, kerbing and guttering, and providing parking facilities and public transport.
The survey found residents are currently more satisfied with their council’s performance in environmental and heritage protection, making communities safer and animal control.
LGAQ president Councillor Margaret de Wit said the overall performance rating of councils was the highest it had been since 2005.
“Councils are to be commended on the improvements we have seen in this latest survey.
“To record such improvement at a time when it has never been a more difficult environment for local government to operate in deserves a pat on the back for our councils.
“Councils have worked hard to achieve more with less and this is evidenced in these results.”
Councils on the fringes of Queensland’s metropolitan southeast recorded the best overall performance rating, scoring well in the categories of basic services and infrastructure, community lifestyle services, management and quality of council.
The performance of provincial councils has improved substantially since 2011, particularly their ability to manage their shires, regions or cities.
Community satisfaction of the performance of rural councils has improved since the last survey but still remains below the state average as drought and pest and weed incursions continue to grip the outback.
Cr de Wit urged councils to take note of the performance measures respondents believed were priorities, including attracting new economic activity, minimising rates increases, delivering on promises and quality of basic advocacy and leadership.
“The LGAQ’s role is to help councils deliver more for their communities and we will continue to work with all 77 councils across the State to help them deliver even better results next time.
“The rural and remote councils are working hard to deliver under the most dire circumstances of drought which has been devastating their communities for years in many cases.”
The 2015 Community Satisfaction Tracking Study, conducted by Morton Consulting Services and Market Facts, canvassed the opinions of 700 households across Queensland.
The independent survey is the 10th in a series that analyses community satisfaction and determines benchmarks for council performance.
