November 2015

RESIDENTS’ SURVEY PRESENTATION

Background• This report details the findings of a 400

sample survey of residents in the City of Mitcham.

• The survey canvassed opinions on issues of relevance to the City of Mitcham community

• Provides feedback on service provision and perceptions of Council.

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Background• The methodology used a CATI telephone

survey among 400 residents of Mitcham Council conducted between September 14th to 23rd 2015.

• Key inputs in developing the questionnaire were obtained from a workshop session with elected members and management

• Plus feedback from qualitative telephone interviews of a small sample of over 20 City of Mitcham residents

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Background• Tracking against the results of past surveys

is naturally limited to those questions which have remained identical from previous years.

• Due to rounding and multiple response questions answers may not always sum precisely to 100%.

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November 2015

PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS

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November 2015

FINDINGS

1. What is the one word or image that comes to mind when you hear “City of Mitcham”?(apart from the word “Council”)

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Council Performance• Over half or 6 out of 10 respondents (58%)

assessed the performance of Mitcham Council as above average.

• Over half (58%) assessed their performance as good or excellent.

• Overall assessment of Council performance is up from last survey.

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Council Services Considered ImportantServices considered most important by residents were:

• Household rubbish removal service

• Maintains stormwater drainage and gutters

• Provides and maintains roads

• Provides and maintains sport and recreational areas, parks and gardens

• Provides and maintains footpaths

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Council Services Most Satisfied WithServices that residents were most satisfied with were:

• Household rubbish removal service

• Library service

• Sport and recreational areas, parks and gardens

• Playgrounds

• Access to Community services, activities and facilities

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Key Areas to ImproveServices that would benefit most from improvement were:• Maintains footpaths

• Provides and maintains roads

• Provides and maintains street trees

• Provides and maintains stormwater drainage and gutters

• Provides access to aged care services

• Provides public health and environment services

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Other Areas for ImprovementSecondary areas that would benefit from improvement were:

• Development assessment services

• Parking and by-law compliance services

• Youth activities

• Animal management services

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Relatively Happy With• Household rubbish removal

• Library service

• Sport and recreational areas, parks and gardens

• Playgrounds

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Perceptions of Council Decision Making• 4 in 10 are satisfied with transparency,

accountability and representativeness of Council’s decisions

• 2 in 10 are not satisfied.

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Receiving Council Information• Ranking of preferences unchanged since

2012.

• The most preferred avenue in 2015 for receiving information was Direct to letterbox (76% preferred, 79% in 2012)

• Possibly reflects that older age groups still prefer printed material

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Receiving Council Information• Public newsletter (50% preferred, 53%

in 2012).

• E-news (43% preferred, same as 2012)

• Public signage (18% preferred, 16% in 2012)

• Social media was the least preferred method (14% preferred, 10% in 2012)>

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Information Gaps• Residents wanted to receive:

• More information about services, facilities and events (10%)

• Updates on future developments / strategic planning (9%)

• 43% were satisfied with the type of information currently received.

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More consultation / Communication• When asked if they had any other

comments in the last question in the survey, the third most mentioned response was More consultation / communication

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Satisfaction With Quality of Life• Satisfaction with quality of life in the City of

Mitcham remains high (91%):

• 53% very satisfied.

• 38% satisfied.

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Improving Quality of Life• Overall, 90% of residents rated the quality

of life in the Mitcham Council area as above average: • 45% indicating it was excellent• 45% stating it was good.

• Quality of life linked to maintenance and improvement of footpaths, walkways and roadways remain priorities

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Being Part of Local Community• Three in five (59%) of those surveyed

strongly felt they were a part of their local community:

• 22% very strongly.

• 37% strongly.

• Up from 2012

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Public Safety• Over four in five (82%) of respondents

rated the public safety in their area as above average:

• 33% excellent.

• 49% good.

• Up from 2012

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Trade Off – Low Rates or Service • More than half think that maintaining the

present level of services is preferable to deliberately keeping rates low.

• Just over a quarter would like to keep rates as low as possible even though this may affect the (level of) service.

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Responsiveness and Value for Money• Mixed levels of agreement were recorded

for the following statements.

• 43% agreed that Mitcham Council is responsive to my needs

• 44% agreed Mitcham Council provides good value for money for the level of rates charged

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Responsiveness and Value for Money

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Most Used Council Services• Parks and gardens (81%) and

• Libraries (64%)

were the two most used Council services.

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Other Services that Council Can Provide• Two thirds (66%, from 73% in 2012) of

respondents indicated there were no ‘other services’ they believed Council should provide.

• Of those who did believe Council should provide ‘other services’:

• more hard waste collection 23%

• maintain / improve roads and footpaths 19%

were identified as the top two services.

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Final Comments of Respondents • Apart from Keep up the good work – it’s a

nice place to live (17%):• Improve streetscape – clean streets /

maintain verges / trees (13%)• Maintain / provide roads and footpaths -

improve infrastructure (12%)• More consultation / communication (9%)

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November 2015

CONCLUSIONS

Positive Image of Council• Mitcham residents have a positive opinion

of Council’s performance - 6 out of 10 respondents assessed the performance of Mitcham Council as above average.

• Overall assessment of Council performance is up from last survey.

Can Do MoreServices that would benefit most from improvement were:

• Maintains footpaths

• Provides and maintains roads

• Provides and maintains street trees

• Provides and maintains stormwater drainage and gutters

• Provides access to aged care services

• Provides public health and environment services

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Greater Communication is key• Hard waste rubbish collection

• Focus on greater consultation and communication

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Information Gaps• Residents would prefer to receive:

• more information about services, facilities and events (10%)

• updates on future developments / strategic planning (9%).

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Council Can Still Be More Responsive• Mixed levels of agreement were recorded

for the following statements:

• 43% agreed that Mitcham Council is responsive to my needs

• 44% agreed Mitcham Council provides good value for money for the level of rates charged

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More Prepared to Pay for Service• More than half think that maintaining the

present level of services is preferable to deliberately keeping rates low.

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And - Keep Up the Good Work!Services that residents were most satisfied with were:

• Household rubbish removal service

• Library service

• Sport and recreational areas and parks and gardens

• Playgrounds

• Access to Community services, activities and facilities

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