Councillors resolved in December 2014 to undertake a survey that would gauge public sentiment.

“In the past Council has conducted community forums and surveys based on “who turns up” or “who fills out” the survey basis which are considered valid methods in gaining community sentiment,” council general manager Lotta Jackson’s report reads.

“However, these methods tend to gain information from the same group of people who always turn up at forums or who always fill out surveys.

“Contrary, the Customer Satisfaction Survey conducted by Micromex, used the methodology of random telephone surveys targeting various age groups and localities.

“This type of research is considered stronger in gaining sample representation from a specific population group,” the report says.

Micromex contacted 281 ratepayers with results mixed.

Forty areas were explored, with each resident asked to rate on a scale of one to five.

The key findings in the survey results are the overall satisfaction being 73 per cent, with 40 per cent satisfied, 30 per cent somewhat satisfied, and 3 per cent very satisfied – 17 per cent were not very satisfied.

Ms Jackson said surveying 281 of approximately 7,000 ratepayers was sufficient.

“Yes, statistically a valid sample. Quote was provided for a statistically valid sample therefore to contact more people would have gone over budget,” she said.

Areas of high satisfaction were library services, heritage site protection, provision of bike paths and public amenities.

Council was regarded unfavourably for financial management, road maintenance, supporting local jobs and business, long term planning, engaging the community and economic development, among other things.

The general manager said she was hopeful council will continue to raise its community engagement.

“I was concerned that council information that we currently distribute to the community and the community engagement forums, that we conduct twice a year, is not enough to reach the community,” she said.

“Media releases on our achievements do not seem to get published and the same people tend to attend the community engagement forums.

“Financial Management was also difficult to understand. What does this actually mean? Subsequently recommendations have been presented to the Council along those lines.”

Ms Jackson said council could utilise Micromex again to explore community expectations in relation to financial management.