New survey results guide Strategic Plan for City of Busselton (9 February 2006)
Results of a wide-ranging community survey released today (9 February) are playing a critical role in determining the direction of the City of Busselton's soon to be launched five year strategic plan.
The Shire has made the survey report, which was completed in January, available to ratepayers. The full version will be available on its website www.busselton.wa.gov.au from the end of this week (Friday, 10 February), while a summary document can be obtained by contacting the Shire offices.
Among the key results of the community survey were:
Shire President, Cr Kevin Douglas said that the community survey had been an invaluable exercise because it was injecting ratepayers' thoughts and concerns directly into the strategic planning process.
"It means that the goals and activities we set for the next five years are linked to the concerns and perceptions we are hearing from our community. As a result, the strategic plan we follow until 2011 will be a much better reflection of what the community says is important because we have hard evidence on which to base our decision-making."
Other survey results have shown that one third of the community believe the Shire is well managed, while a further third believe it is poorly managed. The final third do not have an opinion either way. Busselton residents also appear to be happier with the City of Busselton's overall performance than their neighbours in Dunsborough.
Nearly three quarters of residents do not believe the Shire listens to their concerns. However, the Shire rated much better for: communicating well with its residents, being efficient and well managed, honest and trustworthy.
"As you would expect, the survey results contain both positive and negative perceptions of the Shire. Our task now is to build on the good points and to address the concerns that residents have raised in other areas," said Councillor Douglas.
"It is important to release these results so that ratepayers who completed the survey can see how their views have informed our strategic plan. This will help demonstrate that the Shire is listening to residents, even if we have some work to do in improving our skills in this area," he said.
"We will be addressing the important issue of listening to residents via a new communications plan that will be unveiled by early April, probably at the same time as our five year strategic plan."
The community survey was sent by post to 3,500 Shire residents. After a two-week response period, 400 of the total responses received were then selected using age, gender and location to provide a statistical base for the survey results.
"I hope that residents will be interested in both the survey results and our forthcoming strategic plan. Together they provide an important blueprint for the future of service delivery and facilities management within the City of Busselton," said Councillor Douglas.
"Both documents are the result of considerable hard work by Shire officers and represent many months of effort to establish a path for the future that delivers on the needs and interests of ratepayers."
For further information: Shire President, Kevin Douglas on 0439 954 397 or Communications Coordinator, Julie Rawlings on 9781 0446
END
Date: 9th February 2006
The Shire has made the survey report, which was completed in January, available to ratepayers. The full version will be available on its website www.busselton.wa.gov.au from the end of this week (Friday, 10 February), while a summary document can be obtained by contacting the Shire offices.
Among the key results of the community survey were:
- Environmental sustainability is the broad area of greatest overall importance to residents
- The most important facilities and services provided to residents are bush fire control, beach and foreshore management, mosquito control, public bins and parking in Busselton and Dunsborough
- The service provision that residents are most satisfied with includes the local libraries, the recycling collection, parks and gardens and sporting ovals
- The services or facilities that residents are least satisfied with are the main jetty at Busselton, the standard of roads in the Shire, Leavers Week, environmental pollution control and mosquito control
- Residents are also supportive of the commercial development of the main foreshore area in Busselton.
Shire President, Cr Kevin Douglas said that the community survey had been an invaluable exercise because it was injecting ratepayers' thoughts and concerns directly into the strategic planning process.
"It means that the goals and activities we set for the next five years are linked to the concerns and perceptions we are hearing from our community. As a result, the strategic plan we follow until 2011 will be a much better reflection of what the community says is important because we have hard evidence on which to base our decision-making."
Other survey results have shown that one third of the community believe the Shire is well managed, while a further third believe it is poorly managed. The final third do not have an opinion either way. Busselton residents also appear to be happier with the City of Busselton's overall performance than their neighbours in Dunsborough.
Nearly three quarters of residents do not believe the Shire listens to their concerns. However, the Shire rated much better for: communicating well with its residents, being efficient and well managed, honest and trustworthy.
"As you would expect, the survey results contain both positive and negative perceptions of the Shire. Our task now is to build on the good points and to address the concerns that residents have raised in other areas," said Councillor Douglas.
"It is important to release these results so that ratepayers who completed the survey can see how their views have informed our strategic plan. This will help demonstrate that the Shire is listening to residents, even if we have some work to do in improving our skills in this area," he said.
"We will be addressing the important issue of listening to residents via a new communications plan that will be unveiled by early April, probably at the same time as our five year strategic plan."
The community survey was sent by post to 3,500 Shire residents. After a two-week response period, 400 of the total responses received were then selected using age, gender and location to provide a statistical base for the survey results.
"I hope that residents will be interested in both the survey results and our forthcoming strategic plan. Together they provide an important blueprint for the future of service delivery and facilities management within the City of Busselton," said Councillor Douglas.
"Both documents are the result of considerable hard work by Shire officers and represent many months of effort to establish a path for the future that delivers on the needs and interests of ratepayers."
For further information: Shire President, Kevin Douglas on 0439 954 397 or Communications Coordinator, Julie Rawlings on 9781 0446
END
Date: 9th February 2006