How is your Council Performing?

Far North District Council (Council) conducted a community feedback survey in May 2012. This survey identifies and measures the perceptions that residents of Far North District (residents) have towards Council and the services it provides.

Specifically this survey aimed to:

Measure satisfaction levels with Council services and facilities;
Identify usage levels of Council services and facilities;
Identify awareness and impression of Council communications and consultation processes;
Measure satisfaction levels with Council performance; and
Gather feedback on local issues.

Interviewing for the survey was carried out via telephone (computer assisted telephone interviewing) in house at Versus Research during May / June 2012. A total of 400 residents were interviewed from Far North district and a sample of 30 residents from each of the peer districts was interviewed. The findings from the survey have been analysed by Ward (Te Hiku, Bay of Islands-Whangaroa and Kaikohe-Hokianga).

Services / Facilities

Results for 2012 show both increases upon, and similarities with 2011 in Council's service delivery across the variety of services and facilities. Increases are seen for cycleways (56% (c.f.) 2011, 25%); access to beaches (79% c.f. 2011, 66%); boat ramps and jetties (74% c.f. 2011, 47%); playgrounds (76% c.f. 2011, 60%); public swimming pools (59% c.f. 2011, 32%); cemeteries (77% c.f. 2011, 58%); stormwater drainage (56% c.f. 2011, 46%); recycling (78% c.f. 2011, 72%); refuse disposal (80% c.f. 2011, 68%); and animal control (67% c.f. 2011, 54%).

Services and facilities which remain consistent with 2011 are the town water supply (81% c.f. 2011, 82%); sewerage system (87% both years); district roading network (57% both years); footpaths (58% c.f. 2011, 55%); public libraries (95% c.f. 2011, 96%); parks and reserves (92% both years), and public toilets (60% c.f. 2011, 58%).

A summary of results on Council's services and facilities and Council's key performance measures (KPM), are given in the tables below:

Please note:

(c.f.) above relates to community feedback results in 2011.
When Council refers to targets "not specified" below this relates to Council requiring additional information for forward planning purposes. For instance, consent application experience and inspection experience with Council or the district's preparedness for a civil defence emergency and households who have an emergency response plan.
Key codes have been used to identify measure performance vs. target in 2011/12:

  has improved

  neutral

  needs improving

Building and resource consent services

Overall, 8% of residents (9% in 2011) stated they had applied for a building or resource consent over the last 12 months. 66% are satisfied or very satisfied with their most recent consent application, and 74% of residents (71% in 2011) are also satisfied or very satisfied with their most recent inspection.

Consent services perform above the target set for 2012

Contact with Council

A total of 47% of residents stated they have contacted Council in the past 12 months. Overall, 77% of residents are satisfied or very satisfied with the service they received when they contacted Council. The most frequently used methods of contacting Council are a visit to a Council office or Service Centre and by phone. Less popular methods include using Council's 24 hour 0800 number and written communication. The most frequent reasons for making contact with the Council relate to rates queries (24%), building issues / permits / inspections (20%), and roads / footpaths (13%). This is a similar list compared with the 2011 top reasons.

Despite all contact points outperforming targets set for 2012, overall satisfaction is below the target set for the year.

Council communications and governance

Overall, 27% of residents have used Council's website in the past 12 months and 85% of these residents said they found the information they were looking for on the website. Half of these residents (50%) stated that it was extremely helpful or helpful, but this result shows a decrease of 7% since 2011 (57%).

Knowledge of Council remains consistent with 2011. On the whole, 57% of residents (c.f.2011, 54%) feel they know a lot or a fair amount about the Council, a 3% increase for 2012.

Similarly, this year, 54% of residents feel they are well informed about Council and their activities, on a par with 53% in 2011. The result for being informed of the District Plan and its level of significance has increased slightly for 2012 (38%), compared with 32% in 2011. Ease of access to Council information and services (43%) also remains consistent with 2011 (41%) for being satisfied and extremely satisfied.

Awareness of the local Community Board has decreased by 7% from 50% in 2011 down to 43% for 2012. A new awareness question regarding the provision to hear from members of the public at monthly local Community Board meetings was included. Just over half (51%) of those aware of local community boards knew of this provision.

All communication measures are below targets set for 2012.

Emergency Management

36% of households in the Far North district have an emergency response plan; 42% have an emergency survival kit; and 35% are aware of the community response plan for civil defence. Only awareness of the community response plan for civil defence has increased since 2011 and all are lower than the peer council group.

Peer Council's similar to Far North District Council

In comparison with the peer group average, Far North District Council's service delivery is consistent with the peer group council's on the following services: footpaths, parks and reserves, public swimming pools, stormwater drainage, refuse disposal, animal control, and overall satisfaction.

Far North District Council's service delivery is lower than the peer groups councils on the following services: public libraries, water supply, sewerage system, roading network, cycleways, access to beaches, boat ramps and jetties, playgrounds, cemeteries, public toilets, and recycling. For public libraries Far North District Council exceeded 96% compared to the peer group average of 84%.

Rating for 2012 for their overall satisfaction with Council provided services and facilities is 79% very satisfied or satisfied with these services, consistent with 2011 (76%). The peer group average for overall satisfaction with Council provided services (80%), is on a par with Far North district (79%).

About Service Performance