Community Satisfaction Survey Results

Published on 18 June 2020

Results are in from Horsham Rural City Council’s Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey for 2020.

Residents are surveyed annually to check their satisfaction with Council's performance and services.

An independent research company conducted the survey, which randomly selected 400 HRCC residents aligned with Council’s demographic profile to interview over the telephone. The survey was conducted during February and March.

Questions asked relate to seven core measures including overall performance, customer service, community consultation and engagement, sealed roads, advocacy, overall council direction and making decisions in the community’s interests.

Chief Executive Officer Sunil Bhalla said the survey helped to identify which services or activities needed improvement.

It also compares performance against previous years and the average for all large rural councils in Victoria.

“This year, the survey is showing us a decline in the performance measures and has highlighted areas across Council where our ratepayers believe we need to do better,” Mr Bhalla said.

In 2020, the overall performance index score of 45 for HRCC has declined 10 points from 2020.

It continues a trend of deteriorating results each year since 2016 when the score was 63.

“Our result includes a decline in six of the seven core measures and the remaining measure, customer service, received the same score as last year,” Mr Bhalla said.

“We accept the results, which represent a snapshot in time, and we will focus on the areas where our community would like to see improvement.”

Mayor Mark Radford said the results were disappointing.

“The Councillors have made a genuine commitment to work for the community to create a better municipality, but it is no secret that the Councillor group have not worked well together during this term,” Cr Radford said.

“This has been reflected in the Council Chamber, the local media and the way that the Council is viewed by many people in our community.      

“The survey results are a call to action.  A plan will be put in place to work toward a better result.

“Despite the survey results, there are many good things happening in our Council and extra efforts are being made to engage with our community.  The current Draft Council Budget is open for feedback and I encourage people to read what is proposed and lodge a submission,” he said.

Mr Bhalla said Council had already began working on plans to improve.

“Clearly we need to make changes to meet the community’s evolving expectations. Council has many commitments to deliver on and our community is demanding we do better in a number of areas,” Mr Bhalla said.

 “Leading up and during the survey period Council was listening and responding to a number of contentious issues, both within the Council Chamber and in the community. This may provide some explanation behind the results.

“Overall, it’s imperative that we look at the survey in detail and improve,” he said.

A report detailing the Community Satisfaction Survey will be presented to Council at Monday night’s June meeting. 

Download the survey