General News
1 July, 2024
Satisfaction survey: Lingering angst in south
RESIDENTS have vented over the state of local roads, driving Loddon Shire’s performance rating to its lowest in a decade. Council satisfaction survey results released this week again show angst among people in the southern wards of Inglewood and...
RESIDENTS have vented over the state of local roads, driving Loddon Shire’s performance rating to its lowest in a decade.
Council satisfaction survey results released this week again show angst among people in the southern wards of Inglewood and Tarnagulla.
Results came from a survey of 400 residents between June 2023 and March - almost half the people were aged 65 and above.
Loddon Shire scored highest in appearance of public areas (index score of 71), waste management (70) and recreational facilities (67) but failed the citizen assessment test for unsealed roads (32), planning and building permits (38) and sealed local roads (38).
The report tabled at Tuesday’s June meeting of councillors said the survey showed overall satisfaction had dropped three points compared with the previous survey and was now on a par with other small rural councils.
“Perceptions of the direction of council’s overall performance have trended downwards for the past four years, declining significantly this year to an index score of 42,” the report said.
“Council direction is at a 10 year low, well below the peak result of 54 in 2015. It is important to note that this follows the pattern across the state, with the state-wide and small rural group averages for perceptions of the direction of council’s overall performance also at an all-time low.
“Over the last 12 months, 10 per cent of residents believe the direction of council’s overall performance has improved. Almost two thirds of residents (63 per cent) believe it has stayed the same, and 24 per cent think it has deteriorated (compared to 19 per cent in 2023).”
Loddon Shire has been locked in battle with State Government bureaucrats for approval of October 2022 flood recovery money to repair damaged roads and bridges.
Millions of dollars of works are still to be approved and the State Government has not responded to Loddon Herald questions three weeks ago about delays.
Loddon Shire last December also ended its long-time contract maintaining roads for Regional Roads Victoria, formerly Vic-Roads.
The customer satisfaction report said: “Efforts are specifically needed in the area of sealed local roads and unsealed road maintenance. These are among council’s lowest rated service areas and performance ratings have declined significantly over multiple consecutive years. Ratings are now at the lowest levels since the peak ratings achieved in 2016.
“Furthermore, 29 per cent of residents volunteer sealed road maintenance as the council area most in need of improvement.”
Tarnagulla and Inglewood Ward residents were also critical of council making decisions in the best interests of the community, giving a score of 44, down six on the previous year and below 63 in 2021. The same residents rated council higher on enforcement of local laws - the score up four to 55 - in a period when some traders in Inglewood Ward were at loggerheads with council over footpath displays.