Other highlights from the Dunedin City Council’s residents’ opinion survey include increased satisfaction for a series of metrics about transport, urban design and waste management.
However, satisfaction about value for money from council services and activities has dipped.
Overall, satisfaction with the council dropped slightly in the past year from 50% to 48%.
Historically, the survey provided a strong signal the mayoralty of Aaron Hawkins was in trouble in the eyes of the public when the performance of the mayor and councillors came in at 25% for 2021.
For the surveys released this term during Jules Radich’s mayoralty, an initial 34% satisfaction rating for the performance of the mayor and councillors was followed by a drop to 29% and it has now stabilised at 30%.
The latest survey, by GravitasOPG, attracted 1349 responses in the 12 months to June this year.
A comparison of the survey released yesterday, against last year’s report, appeared to reveal shifting sentiment for residents about their priorities.
Survey respondents were asked about their top two priorities for the council.
Maintenance of roading infrastructure was the clear leader last year (20%) and this year (22%).
A category about being more environmentally friendly and dealing with climate change was second last year on 17%, but dropped several slots this year down to 9%.
Meanwhile, feedback relating to keeping rates in check climbed into second, from 9% to 13%.
A category about reducing debt or being more financially stable was listed in third place this year, rising from 8% to 12%.
Residents were asked about improvements they would like to see and the most common subject this year was rates.
Mr Radich said the results showed residents wanted the council to focus on the basics — "maintaining our infrastructure, controlling rates, reducing debt and managing our stormwater".
"The good news is we’re delivering on all of these fronts, despite the economic difficulties confronting all councils during these challenging times," he said.
Cr Lee Vandervis, who is running for the mayoralty, said a 35% satisfaction rating for value for money — down from 38% — was dismal.
Another mayoralty candidate, Cr Carmen Houlahan, said, from what she had observed, results had stayed relatively steady.
"This highlights to me that rhetoric from opponents who try to paint a picture of chaos and incompetence is unfounded," she said.
Metrics about the condition of roads, footpaths, traffic flow, ease of pedestrian movement and suitability of the network for cycling all had increased levels of satisfaction.
There was even a decrease in dissatisfaction about availability of parking in the central city — this shifted from 66% dissatisfaction to 57%.
Cr Sophie Barker, another mayoralty candidate, noted improved satisfaction about the central city retail area after the revamp of George St.
However, increases in dissatisfaction in some segments could not be glossed over, she said.
For example, the proportion of people who had a neutral view about the performance of the mayor and councillors had shrunk and dissatisfaction had increased to 33%.
"Dissatisfaction now outweighs satisfaction," Cr Barker said.
Mr Radich said he understood reduced satisfaction about some items.
"As a regular Moana Pool user, it is easy to understand dissatisfaction while the end wall was being repaired, often letting cold air in, but it is finished now, and it looks much better," he said.
