General News
26 July, 2024
Council hits new low
The latest municipal report card is in - and it's not flattering to Horsham Rural City Council.
Despite promising to turn things around after a dismal performance in 2023, HRCC's community satisfaction survey has slipped to a new low.
In the most recent edition of the Victorian Department of Government Services annual survey, formally released on Monday, HRCC plummeted even further in four of nine subject areas examined.
Horsham scored lower year-on year in:
• Overall performance (43 per cent - down from 45 per cent in 2023)
• Waste management (55 per cent - down from 64 per cent)
• Value for money (41per cent - down from 43 per cent)
• Making community decisions (40 per cent - down from 42 per cent)
In two areas it either stabilised or stagnated, depending on the interpretation, receiving exactly the same scores as in 2023: consultation and engagement, for which it earned 43 per cent approval, and sealed local roads, where it scored 38 per cent.
HRCC's only positives were in overall council direction, for which survey respondents rated it three percentage points higher than previously, at 37 per cent compared to 34 per cent last year, and customer service, where public perception spiked from 56 per cent 12 months earlier to 62 per cent.
Horsham's overall performance rating of 43 per cent compared to 45 per cent last year and 56 per cent the year prior.
Less than 10 years ago its ratings peaked at 63 per cent.
The regional centres and statewide averages this year are 54 per cent.
Rural residents were the most dissatisfied demographic in eight of the nine categories.
For the first time, the survey contained a question about unsealed roads.
HRCC residents responded to this with a 33 per cent approval rating.
As a regional centre, Horsham is grouped with local government areas ranging in size from Ballarat, Greater Bendigo, Greater Geelong, Wodonga and Latrobe down to Mildura, Wangaratta and Warrnambool.
Presenting the findings to council at its monthly meeting on Monday, director of corporate services Kim Hargreaves noted the report's statement that "perceptions of overall performance for councils statewide have declined for the third year in a row and are now at a decade-long low".
HRCC was rated below the group average.
The phone survey is based on a sample of 400 people in Horsham Rural City chosen to reflect the diversity of its 20,000-plus residents.
It was conducted by independent provider JWS Research.
In its overview, JWS Research said: "Council continues to see some slippage in results, but not nearly to the same extent as in 2023.
"Perceptions of council’s overall performance stabilised, declining by a slight two index points in the past year after experiencing a much more precipitous decline in 2023.
"Performance in three of five service areas also stabilised, excepting a significant decline in the area of waste management."
Ms Hargreaves said the actions outlined in the survey had been identified "to ensure council responded to the community dissatisfaction articulated in the 2023 survey results".
"The progress against the current action plan, when noted against the 2024 survey results, may inform further actions to address the 2024 results as well as identify which actions may have been effective in addressing community perceptions and those which have not," she said.
Council CEO Sunil Bhalla and mayor Robyn Gulline both promised to lift council's performance - as they promised last year.
To see the report in full, visit www.wimmeramalleenews.com.au/the-horsham-times