The Far North District Council conducted a community feedback survey in July 2013. This survey identifies and measures the perceptions that residents of the Far North District have towards Council and the services it provides. 

The main goal of the survey was to report against specific performance measures determined in the first year of Council’s Long-Term Plan 2012/22 regarding services, facilities, customer service, environmental policy and communications.

406 interviews were carried out via telephone (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) in-house at Versus Research between 8 and 23 July 2013 with residents from the Far North District. The findings from the survey have been analysed by Ward in the first instance, as quotas were applied to ensure a representative sample. Data was weighed by gender and age; and significant demographic differences by gender, age and ethnic group are highlighted throughout the findings.

The survey asked residents about their use of a selection of Council services and facilities namely, public swimming pools, parks and reserves, playgrounds, refuse disposal services, recycling services, cemeteries, and libraries. Residents were asked to rate their satisfaction with each of these services and facilities as well as other Council provided services and facilities such as the district roading network, footpaths, access to beaches, storm water drainage, and public toilets. Following this, residents were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with Council-provided services and facilities.

For customer service ratings Council asked those residents who had made contact with Council in the last 12 months to rate their satisfaction with service at point of contact, whether made in writing, by phone, or through a visit to a Council office or service centre. Regarding environmental policy, residents were asked to rate how informed they felt about the District Plan and potential outcomes for communities, as well as the incidence of applications for building or resource consents. Residents were also asked to rate their satisfaction with their most recent consent application experience, and inspection experience, with Council. 

The section on Council communications and governance covered resident satisfaction with the ease of access to Council information services, being informed about Council and its activities, and awareness of local community boards. Key results, and Council’s Key Performance targets (KPI), are given below.

Overall satisfaction with Council-provided services and facilities remains at 80 per cent with a significant increase in those who are ‘very satisfied’ (up 7pts to 14% in 2013). Residents who are ‘very satisfied’ overall are more likely to be ‘very satisfied’ with all individual services and facilities; with public libraries, access to beaches, refuse disposal, and recycling stations the greatest contributors. Conversely, residents who are ‘not very satisfied’ overall are more likely to be ‘not very satisfied’ with all individual services and facilities, with the roading network, storm water drainage, footpaths, and public toilets the greatest detractors.

Services 

None of the service Key Performance targets were met in 2013. Significant declines in satisfaction, indicated with purple shading in the table below, are measured for urban storm water collection (storm water drainage), recycling station services, and refuse transfer station services. 

The lowest level of satisfaction was measured for storm water drainage, a service that is urban-specific. The highest rating is for recycling station services, with 65 per cent ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the service, and user satisfaction on target. 

Additional prompting around reasons behind resident rating identify access to services, availability within the community and on-going maintenance as the main drivers for satisfaction across services.

Table 1.1: Key Performance re: Council Services

Facilities

Playgrounds exceed (80%) and cemeteries meet (80%) Key Performance targets for user satisfaction. Public libraries (90%) and parks and reserves (82%) remain on target despite significant declines in satisfaction amongst users in the last 12 months, indicated with purple shading in the table below. User satisfaction with public swimming pools has declined as well and fails to meet the Key Performance target.

All three residents’ satisfaction ratings show significant decline compared to last year with the greatest being cemeteries (down 31pts to 46%), followed by coastal access (down 15pts to 64%), and cleanliness of public toilets (down 10pts to 50%). Similar to services, lack of maintenance, availability, and access to facilities are identified as key drivers to dissatisfaction.

Table 1.2: Key Performance re: Council Facilities

Customer Services

Overall satisfaction with Council services at point of contact does not meet the Key Performance target and has declined since last year. Incidence of contact via telephone and visits to Council office or service centres are considerably lower than last year, as indicated through purple shading in the table below. Satisfaction levels remain on par for both these contact points, with results regarding written communication indicative only, given the small sample size. The main reasons for satisfaction with Council contact are based on a satisfactory outcome, with lack of action and poor service/incompetence causing dissatisfaction amongst residents.

Table 1.3: Key Performance re: Customer Services

Environmental Management

All Key Performance targets for Environmental Management were met or exceeded with 40% of residents feeling well informed or informed about the District Plan and its implications for their community; and 58% and 75% of applicants are satisfied or very satisfied with the application and inspection experience respectively.

Table 1.4: Key Performance re: Environmental Management

Council Communications and Governance 

All Communication and Governance measures perform on par with last year but fail to meet the set Key Performance targets. Satisfaction with ease of access to Council information and services stems from experiencing no problems, but also polite and helpful service. Conversely, dissatisfaction is compounded by a lack of communication and information.

Table 1.5: Key Performance re: Communications and Governance

In terms of demographic differences, it should be noted that NZ Māori residents are more likely to feel not at all informed of the District plan and its implications for their community (21% c.f. the total, 13%); and more likely to feel uninformed about Council and its activities in general (31% not informed/not at all informed c.f. the total, 18%). NZ Māori are also more likely to be dissatisfied with the ease of access to Council information and services (20% c.f. the total, 11%).