Whanganui residents rating of performance of mayor and councillors 'a concern'

Satisfaction with the performance of the mayor and councillors has dipped below 50 per cent. Photo / Bevan Conley

Many Whanganui residents are dissatisfied with the performance of the mayor and councillors, and the council's responsiveness to community needs, the district's annual Community Views Survey has found.

The Whanganui District Council survey, conducted by Versus Research, was done on the phone and online. It involved 500 people who were surveyed in March and June, before and after the Covid-19 lockdown. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 per cent.

The performance of council officers was satisfying to 72 per cent, while only 47 per cent were satisfied with the performance of the mayor and councillors, the council's strategy and finance committee heard this week.

The survey is a valuable opportunity for "360 degree self-reflection", mayor Hamish McDouall said. The result he was most disappointed in was that only 45 per cent perceived the council as responsive to community needs.

That number was 54 per cent last year and has been trending down, despite livestreaming of council meetings and efforts to be more transparent.

"The community is disengaged. We have got to try and break the paradigm."

Having the performance of mayor and councillors dip below 50 per cent satisfaction for the third time in a decade should also be a concern, McDouall said.

"Satisfaction with local government all over New Zealand is less than 30 per cent. We are in a tough industry. We are the whipping boys when something goes wrong."

Councillor Josh Chandulal-Mackay said his colleagues could help matters by attending the pop-up stalls planned for pre-consultation on the Long Term Plan.

The survey found that 81 per cent of residents were satisfied with living in Whanganui, and 80 per cent rated their standard of living as good. That was a really good satisfaction level, McDouall said.

Feelings of safety ranked high, with 93 per cent feeling safe in the central city during the day, and 97 per cent feeling safe at home during the day. However, only 58 per cent felt safe in the CBD at night, a similar level to last year and despite improvements.

It also found that Whanganui cycle and walkways are getting more use while sports grounds and cultural facilities are getting less.

Cycleway use has gone up from 25 per cent in 2010 to 36 per cent this year.

Use of sports grounds has slipped from more than 60 per cent in 2010 to 42 per cent this year. Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan wondered whether they were well promoted, and what the council can do to move the trend up again.

Only 52 per cent of those surveyed used libraries, and only 30 per cent had attended an event at the Royal Wanganui Opera House.

The Covid-19 disruptions may have affected people's answers, councillors Hadleigh Reid and Alan Taylor said.

The aim of 70 per cent user satisfaction with public toilets was not met, with a satisfaction level of 50 per cent.

"I know we are trying to actively improve on that. I think we have got a long way to go," councillor Rob Vinsen said.