Community satisfaction survey results 2022
We commission a community satisfaction survey every year to better understand how we are perceived by our community, measure satisfaction with Council’s leadership and its delivery of services and facilities, and identify issues of concern within the municipality.
The 2022 survey looked at:
- Satisfaction with our overall performance
- Satisfaction with aspects of governance and leadership
- Importance of and satisfaction with 26 services and facilities
- Current issues of concern for residents
- Satisfaction with our advocacy to other levels of government
- Level of volunteering and sense of community and inclusion
- Performance achieving the Bayside 2050 Community Vision
- Satisfaction with planning for population growth, aspects of planning and development, and traffic and parking
- Satisfaction with customer service and engagement with Council.
How is the survey conducted?
The 2022 community satisfaction survey was conducted by independent company, Metropolis Research, via face to face or telephone interviews with 600 randomly selected households from early March to May 2022.
Each interview involves in-depth conversations to truly understand the issues that are important to Bayside residents and to gauge how Council is performing. It measures residents’ satisfaction with overall performance, services and facilities, planning and development, customer service and planning for population growth, along with other issues.
The 2022 survey is the fifth year Council has used this extensive research program. Previously, surveys involved approximately 400 phone interviews.
What are some of the key results?
- Satisfaction with the overall performance of Council increased to an average score of 7 out of 10 and remains a "good" level of satisfaction
- 84% of respondents were satisfied with our overall performance – 44% were very satisfied, giving an "excellent" rating of 8 or more out of 10
- Satisfaction remains “excellent” with services considered most important to the community, including:
- Waste and recycling services
- Local libraries and arts
- Services for older people
- Services for children from birth to five years of age
- Appearance of the beach, foreshore and bushland
- Parks, gardens, reserves and sports ovals
- Safety walking on residential streets remains “excellent” overall and on main roads “very good”. Safety while cycling has increased and is now at a “very good” level.
Bayside City Council’s overall performance remains higher than the average for the six inner eastern region councils (Yarra, Glen Eira, Stonnington, Bayside, Port Phillip and Melbourne) and the average for all metropolitan Melbourne councils. Bayside also has a notably higher level of satisfaction for the provision of services and facilities compared with other local government areas.
What were some of the issues?
The annual community satisfaction survey is also an opportunity to explore current issues of concern in Bayside for residents.
The top issues residents were most concerned about in early 2022 include:
- Building, planning, housing, development
- Environment, sustainability, climate change
- Roads maintenance and repairs
- Beach and foreshore issues
- Footpath maintenance and repairs
Planning, building and development issues remains the long-term top issue of concern in Bayside, focused on the size, number and type of medium and higher density residential developments.
Concern about car parking has declined dramatically in recent years and for the first time is not a top ten issue.
Instead, there was a significant increase in concern about the environment, sustainability and climate change in the 2022 survey. This is now the second most important issue to address for the community.
Sense of community
Residents very strongly agree they feel welcome, included, and respected when accessing Council services and facilities. They also strongly agree that Bayside is:
- welcoming and supportive of people from diverse cultures
- accessible and inclusive for all
- respects, reflects, and is inclusive of First Nations’ peoples.
Achieving the Bayside 2050 Community Vision
For the first time, residents were asked in the 2022 community satisfaction survey how well Council is achieving the Bayside 2050 Community Vision across its ten themes. Most are satisfied and believe Council is achieving the Vision best for living/natural environment and least well for promoting innovation.