Self-sufficient, creative and feeling good – a new satisfaction survey shows Whanganui residents are feeling upbeat about their city.
More than half of those surveyed said they had a “high” sense of wellbeing, 80% viewed Whanganui as a creative place, and nearly all said they could be self-sufficient for three days following an emergency.
However, the survey also revealed areas for improvement. Satisfaction with roading, safety at night in the city, and waste services such as litter control and recycling opportunities, was down from last year.
Whanganui District Council chief executive David Langford said the annual Community Views Survey revealed a high level of confidence if there was to be an emergency.
"Seeing 91% of the community indicating that they could survive for at least three days in an emergency without outside assistance is really encouraging,” Langford said.
“This is what a resilient community looks like."
The survey canvassed locals in June to measure some of the targets set in the Long-Term Plan 2021-2031 and gauge the council’s performance.
It showed 70% of those surveyed were satisfied with the contribution the CBD makes to the lifestyle and image of Whanganui, but just 41% felt a strong or very strong sense of belonging.
The survey also suggests that long-term underinvestment in open spaces, parks and playgrounds “may be contributing to decreased satisfaction”, Langford said.
“The open spaces are maintained to a set standard, and perhaps this standard needs to be better resourced. The council will look at improving services and will seek community input on these through the Long-Term Plan process.”
A need for easier access to council information was highlighted. Langford said the council’s website would be updated and digital services and customer experience improved.
There was an 18% increase on last year of satisfaction in the performance of council staff. Views on the performance of the mayor and councillors were also up from last year, with a third rating their performance as very good or good.
“We can also see an increase in the use of key venues as things bounce back from the end of Covid-19 restrictions. More people used venues such as Cooks Gardens, sportsgrounds, parks, libraries, the Opera House and the Whanganui Regional Museum. It’s great to see results like this."
Langford said the council had taken steps to tackle areas in need of improvement by implementing an action plan.
“Some of the initiatives from 2022 are still relevant and will be carried forward into the current year.”
The survey, conducted by Versus Research, was promoted online and capped at 510 replies for comparison with past years.
By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporter
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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