You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
NEWS<br />
<strong>20</strong> <strong>Ashburton</strong> <strong>Courier</strong>, <strong>August</strong> <strong>20</strong>, <strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong><br />
Residents’ survey<br />
results amixed bag<br />
Residentssatisfactionwith<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong>District Council’s<br />
overall performance has<br />
declined from 77%in<strong>20</strong>18/19<br />
to 69% in <strong>20</strong>19/<strong>20</strong>, buta<br />
number of areas have been<br />
givenabig thumbs up in the<br />
latest Annual Residents’<br />
Survey.<br />
Roadinghas beenamain<br />
area of dissatisfaction, with<br />
the standard andsafety of<br />
roads within the district<br />
evaluated lesspositively in<br />
<strong>20</strong>19/<strong>20</strong>.<br />
Just over athird of<br />
residents (34%)were<br />
satisfied with sealed roads,<br />
downfourper cent on the<br />
previous year,and more<br />
than half (51%) were<br />
satisfied with unsealed<br />
roads,down from 58 %in<br />
<strong>20</strong>18/19.<br />
The latest surveywas<br />
completed by Key Research<br />
and includesnew<br />
methodology.<br />
Itwas completed over four<br />
timepoints and through an<br />
onlinesurveyof950<br />
residents.<br />
The previoussurvey was<br />
completed over thephone<br />
and had feedback from 400<br />
residents.<br />
The feedbackonthe<br />
performanceofthe mayor<br />
and councillors is very<br />
similartolast year andisat<br />
78%,while satisfaction with<br />
council staff hasimproved<br />
from 84% ayear agoto87%.<br />
In termsoflocal<br />
infrastructure, satisfaction<br />
with the quality of drinking<br />
water supply and overall<br />
rubbish and recycling<br />
services remains high, with<br />
more than eightin10<br />
residents satisfied with<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> Domain and other green spaces around the<br />
district received ahigh satisfaction level in the survey.<br />
those services.<br />
Residents arealso highly<br />
satisfied withopportunities<br />
for grants andfunding (95%),<br />
community events (93%)and<br />
social services (95%).<br />
The role playedby council<br />
in lobbyingcentral<br />
government on issues<br />
affecting the district has<br />
seenasatisfaction jump<br />
from 77% ayear agoto82% .<br />
Economicdevelopment<br />
received asatisfaction level<br />
of 89%, whiletourism<br />
promotion did not fare quite<br />
so wellwithsatisfactionat<br />
68%.<br />
Traditional high scorers<br />
continued to be recognised<br />
throughthe surveyincluding<br />
the library (97%), public<br />
toilets(94%), EA Networks<br />
Centre (88%) and museum<br />
(94%).<br />
Emergency management<br />
(96%),parksand open<br />
spaces (92%) and cemeteries<br />
(97%) all scored highly.<br />
Some 91%think that living<br />
in the <strong>Ashburton</strong> District is<br />
aboutthe same or better<br />
compared to three years ago.<br />
Michael Hooker fromKey<br />
Research told councillors<br />
his companyworked with24<br />
councils in NewZealand.<br />
Dissatisfaction with<br />
roading wasacommon<br />
themeacross all councils<br />
and <strong>Ashburton</strong> council’s<br />
overall performancewas<br />
alsoonpar withother<br />
councils.<br />
Concern over unwanted<br />
stockwater race fees<br />
Anumber of residentsalong<br />
Smithfield Road have been<br />
among those frontingto<br />
oppose proposedchangesto<br />
stockwater management<br />
charges.<br />
Speakingat<strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
District Council’srevenue<br />
and finance policy hearings<br />
on Tuesday, Trevor and<br />
Annette Scott told<br />
councillors theyhad sought<br />
clarificationonwhetherthe<br />
race runningthrough their<br />
propertywas astormwater<br />
drain or stockwaterrace.<br />
They had heard nothing<br />
from council, butfirmly<br />
believeditwas amaindrain<br />
conveyance and an outlet for<br />
urban stormwater .<br />
MrsScottsaid therace<br />
was of no use to the couple<br />
and they wanted it closed.<br />
They certainly did not<br />
wanttopay thefixedcharge<br />
of $600that council was<br />
proposing.<br />
FellowSmithfield Road<br />
resident GrantSmith said he<br />
did not wantthe raceand<br />
did not use it for stockwater.<br />
‘‘I have tolegally fence my<br />
swimmingpool, yet your<br />
water raceisapermanent<br />
hazardtoyoung children at<br />
ourberryfarm andI’ve had<br />
to fence it as well.’’<br />
Mr Smithsaid he couldn’t<br />
do anything with asizeable<br />
portionofhis landbecause<br />
of the race andrulesaround<br />
it.<br />
When the raceflooded,<br />
which it did on occasion,<br />
rubbish and someraw<br />
sewagefrom<strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
town camedownitand<br />
needed cleaning out.<br />
Mr Smithsuggested<br />
councilneeded to put in<br />
pipinginhis areaifit<br />
wantedtouse the raceasa<br />
stormwaterdrain, or else<br />
thewhole thingshould be<br />
closed over.<br />
Maurice and Shirley<br />
Millar, also fromSmithfield<br />
Road,toldcouncillors the<br />
race wasofnouse to them on<br />
their 3ha block.<br />
Theyweredisappointed<br />
with the proposed charges<br />
and diligently worked to<br />
keepthe race clean and tidy,<br />
both on the insideand<br />
outside.<br />
The$600 charge proposed<br />
was prohibitive and would<br />
addaquartertotheir rates<br />
bill.<br />
Another SmithfieldRoad<br />
resident, Chris Morrison,<br />
told councillorshehad no<br />
use for the MillCreekrace<br />
that ran through his<br />
property.<br />
He paidurbanrates and<br />
was now faced with the<br />
possibilityofincreased<br />
charges forsomething he<br />
didn’t need.<br />
He said he could livewith<br />
the current charge of $90,<br />
but objectedto$600.<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong>council’s<br />
preferredproposal<br />
recommends applying a<br />
fixedcharge of around $600<br />
per property to help share<br />
the cost of providing<br />
stockwater andalso aper<br />
metre costofaround$0.1665<br />
per metre over1000 metres.<br />
The rational behindthe<br />
proposalisthatitwould<br />
encourage userstoexplore<br />
alternative watersources,<br />
which could leadtomore<br />
race closures,and the<br />
charges would betterreflect<br />
thosewho benefit.
Change language