City of Wodonga Mayor, Ron Mildren says the results of the annual Community Satisfaction Survey show that customer service continues to be one of the Council’s top-performing service areas.
He said while Victorian councils across the board had seen a decline in community satisfaction over the range of measures in the survey, Wodonga had performed well in comparison with Councils across the state.
“The council performed higher than or in line with the Regional Centres group and the statewide average for councils across all core measures and service areas evaluated,” said Mayor Mildren.
“The survey showed customer service continued to be one of council’s top-performing service areas.”
The survey recorded a decline in satisfaction with the condition of local roads and Council’s lobbying and advocacy efforts.
“The condition of roads is one key area where we are fully aware of the impact of the prolonged wet weather and we have both programs within our resources and for further funding lobbying to undertake required maintenance,” the Mayor said.
“I’ve been aware of many of the community concerns and since becoming Mayor at the end of December last year there has been a number of key focus changes generally in recognition of the impacts of the events of the past several years and the changing experiences and expectations of the community.Â
“We acknowledge the changing community expectation that the elected councillor group should take more responsibility for decisions of community interest and Council direction.”
Mayor Mildren said the Council had recognised the changed circumstances as it emerged from a series of years of natural disaster events of bushfires, floods and COVID-19 and prolonged wet weather and was now experiencing a major economic impact from rising costs of living.Â
“We have started this community recovery and recognition of changing expectations with a lower than cap regime of rates for 2023-2024 and by commencing a review of council priorities and overall council direction,” he said.
“Wodonga Council is changing focus to ensure longer term financial sustainability so that we can continue to maintain the priority infrastructure and services that our community wants and values.Â
“This year the council will start the process of community consultation and preparation of a new community vision which will provide an opportunity for re-evaluation of priorities and the council focus into 2050.”
He said Council would also continue to lobby for a single-site purpose-built hospital which recognises the needs and opportunities of the whole regional health services catchment and the potential for increased specialist services aggregation around a single site.
“There is a big opportunity to develop a comprehensive regional health position that reduces referrals and reliance upon already over used capital city facilities,” the Mayor said.
The survey polling, organised by Local Government Victoria, was undertaken in February and March this year. The core performance results form part of the mandated Local Government Performance Framework reporting.
