Blue Mountains City Council has released its 2022 report card at the May council meeting and the response is mixed taking into account "COVID fatigue".
Among the findings was satisfaction on council's response to disasters and the general performance by staff and councillors. But there was a drop in satisfaction levels for opportunities for consultation, information distribution, as well as reduced satisfaction with work on sealed roads, footpaths, cycleways and services for young people and the disabled.
But compared to survey results for other councils across the state, the research group said Blue Mountains residents had significantly higher levels of general satisfaction, which has remained steady since their best result in 2020. And the council is above average on emergency management and protection of bushland.
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Findings showed 88 per cent of the residents surveyed were at least somewhat satisfied with the performance of council. Of these 59 per cent were very satisfied or satisfied.
Council's Community Satisfaction Survey was conducted by independent social research consultancy, Taverner Research Group. The survey is council's way to check how they are doing service-wise and what they need to work on. It has been conducted biennially since 2000.
About 500 residents were randomly selected for the 20 minute interview. It was conducted from February 17 to March 10.
Blue Mountains Council CEO Dr Rosemary Dillon said: "Getting this feedback is paramount to our planning and day-to-day operations".
She said council worked hard to provide the best quality service "even more over the last two exceptionally challenging years".
"I'm extremely proud to see that work and dedication is making a difference. While council is excited about these results, we know there is always room for improvement."
There was a 14 per cent drop in residents feeling "that the quality of life and wellbeing was improving"- from 64 per cent to 53 per cent in the last two years. And opportunity to participate in council decision making fell below the neutral ranking of 3 (on a 1-5 scale). The fall in satisfaction from the 2020 survey included a 14 per cent decline in satisfaction on sealed roads, a nine per cent fall for footpaths and an eight per cent decline in satisfaction about cycleway delivery. Survey participants expressed concerns for local job opportunities - which fell in satisfaction ratings by six per cent.
Mayor Mark Greenhill thanked Dr Dillon and staff for their "hard work ... during the toughest of times."
