Councils failing to satisfy NZ business

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Nearly half of small businesses have given the thumbs down to what has been promised by Auckland Super City with only 8 per cent saying they are satisfied with what it promises, a survey has found.

While 42 per cent are unhappy with the support offered by the Super City, across the country attitudes towards local authorities are even more negative.

A Myob survey of 1000 businesses has found that 44 per cent of businesses are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the support they receive from local government.

The survey also found dissatisfaction with the National Government has increased sharply with 38 per cent of businesses dissatisfied with the support they receive from Wellington, up from 29 per cent in August.

The survey was done in the lead-up to the council elections.

Sole traders are the most dissatisfied with their councils (46 per cent) and the least satisfied (7 per cent), while over half of all businesses in the manufacturing and wholesale sector (54 per cent) are unhappy with the support they receive from local government.

Myob general manager Julian Smith said that after all the hype surrounding this year's local body elections, and the hotly contested mayoral races in several centres, councils needed to work harder to appeal to the business community.

"Central government is an easy target but businesses are much more dissatisfied with local government," he said.

"It's clear businesses want their councils to be more focused not just on making our cities and towns great places to live but also great places to do business - with all the benefits of employment, investment and growth this will bring," said Smith.

According to the survey, businesses in provincial centres, such as Waikato, Otago and Southland, and Marlborough, are most dissatisfied with their local authorities.

The Christchurch City Council's response to the September earthquake has seen it rank highest in the country in terms of business satisfaction, on 16 per cent.

Of all the provinces surveyed, Taranaki had the lowest levels of business dissatisfaction, 17 per cent and 9 per cent satisfied.

Satisfaction with central government remains low, at just 15 per cent - the same as the level reported in August.

"The economic results of the Myob Business Monitor show Kiwi businesses have been doing it tough over the last quarter, with revenue falling and pipeline work drying up.

"And some of the frustration at the slow and uneven recovery will no doubt be colouring how businesses see the performance of the Government," said Smith.

"But at both a local and national level, it's clear the business community feels their elected representatives are not doing enough to support their success," he said.