Council updates  |  31 May 2019

Two surveys have provided Christchurch City Council with a snapshot of what it is doing well and what it needs to work on.

The Point of Contact survey and the General Service Satisfaction survey are two of the measures the Council uses to gauge its performance and to identify areas for improvement.

A call centre worker answers a call from a member of the public.

Survey findings show people are finding Council staff friendly, approachable and helpful.

The Point of Contact survey shows people place a high value on libraries, recreation facilities, gardens, parks and community events but want better, regular maintenance of community parks.

The General Service Satisfaction survey shows 62 per cent of those surveyed are generally satisfied with the Council’s performance. This is up from 55 per cent last year.

However, the condition of Christchurch’s roads and footpaths and the quality of the water remain a source of discontent for people.

“The findings of these surveys are valuable because they highlight the areas where residents feel we need to do better,’’ says Council Chief Executive Dr Karleen Edwards.

“For example, it is clear from the Point of Contact survey results that residents want better maintenance and upkeep of our community parks, wharves and jetties, and cemeteries. That is something elected members will be able to take into account when they meet over the next few weeks to finalise the Council’s budget and work programme for the next 12 months.

“The survey findings also show that residents still don’t fully understand Council decision-making processes or how they can get involved. That is something we need to address.

“We need to make sure we are communicating effectively with all sectors of our community and that everyone feels they can engage with us on the issues they care about,’’ Dr Edwards says.

“One of the most pleasing findings of the Point of Contact survey is that 86 per cent of those who were asked about their interactions with Council staff said they found them to be friendly, approachable and helpful.

“We have put a lot of focus on improving our customer service and ensuring that we put the needs of our residents first so I’m very pleased with this result, although there is still room for improvement,’’ Dr Edwards says.

In the General Service Satisfaction survey roading remains the most commonly cited area for improvement, followed by water supply.

“We know the condition of our roads and footpaths remains an issue and we are spending an unprecedented amount of money to try and improve the situation,’’ Dr Edwards says.

 'We know the condition of our roads and footpaths remains an issue' - Dr Karleen Edwards

“Before the earthquakes we spent about $70 million a year, in today’s dollars, on maintaining, renewing and upgrading the city’s roads and footpaths. In this current year we are spending $86 million.

“We are also investing heavily on improving the safety of our water supply but unfortunately we have had to chlorinate the water while that work is done. As a result we have seen satisfaction with the quality of our water drop from 79 per cent last year to 37 per cent.

“By the end of May about 90 per cent of Christchurch’s water supply is expected to be chlorine-free and we are working to remove the chlorine from the remaining water supply as quickly as possible,’’ Ms Edwards says.

About the surveys

The Point of Contact survey is comprised of a series of surveys targeted at users of Council services and facilities. The surveys are conducted over the course of the year and sample sizes for each survey range from 5 to 1500. The Point of Contact survey programme is the biggest conducted by the Council and this year involved 6761 people.

The General Service Satisfaction survey was carried out by a professional, independent research company on behalf of the Council. It involved telephone interviews with 776 randomly selected residents between early March and mid April. All participants were asked the same questions.

Learn more about the surveys and their findings.