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Community satisfaction survey results 2024

We commission a community satisfaction survey every year to better understand how we are perceived by our community, measure satisfaction with Council's leadership and its delivery of services and facilities and identify issues of concern within Bayside.

The 2024 survey looked at:

  • Satisfaction with our overall performance
  • Importance of and satisfaction with 28 services and facilities
  • Customer service 
  • Council’s leadership and governance (including advocacy)
  • Planning and housing development
  • Traffic, parking and safety on roads
  • As well as identify current issues of importance, and how they impact on satisfaction with Council.

How is the survey conducted?

The 2024 community satisfaction survey was conducted by an independent company, Metropolis Research, via face-to-face interviews with 700 randomly selected representative households from March to April 2024.

Each interview involves in-depth conversations to truly understand the issues important to Bayside residents and gauge how Council is performing. It measures residents' satisfaction with Council's overall performance, services and facilities, customer service, and aspects of planning and development. 

The 2024 survey is the seventh year Council has used this extensive research program. 

What are some of the key results?

  • Satisfaction with the overall performance of Council remains a "good" level of satisfaction receiving an average score of 7 out of 10. This year’s satisfaction result is consistent with Bayside’s long-term average.
     
  • Many respondents (40%) were very satisfied with Council’s overall performance – giving a score of 8 or higher out of ten, while 6% were dissatisfied (rating 4 or less).
     
  • Overall satisfaction with services and facilities remains at 7.7 or “very good” and is rated higher than metropolitan Melbourne average.
     
  • Satisfaction remains "excellent" with services considered very important to the community, including: 
    • Garbage collection service (up 3%)       
    • Hard rubbish booking / pickup service (up 4%)
    • Local libraries
    • Arts and culture 
    • Sports grounds and ovals
    • Services for children from birth to five years of age
    • Services for youth (up 4%)
    • Services for older people (up 4%) 

Waste collection services 

Satisfaction with Bayside’s garbage collection service (3% increase) and hard rubbish collection service (4% increase) is higher than the metro Melbourne average. Both services are rated excellent. 

This demonstrates that Bayside residents have adapted very well to the changes to the kerbside collection schedule.
 

What were some of the issues?

The annual community satisfaction survey is also an opportunity to explore current issues of concern in Bayside for residents. 

The top issues residents were most concerned about in early 2024 include: 

  1. Car parking and traffic management
  2. Roads maintenance and repairs
  3. Building, planning, housing, development
  4. Safety, policing and crime 

What should Council prioritise for the next four years? 

This year, to undertake research to inform the next Council Plan – we asked participants to list what they believe Bayside Council should prioritise over the next four years. 

The top priorities mentioned for the next four year include:

  1. Safety, policing and crime 
  2. Building, housing, planning, and development
  3. Road maintenance and repair                        
  4. Car parking

Sense of community and safety 

Community involvement as a member of a group or board/committee, or as a volunteer increased this year (5%) for the first time since the pandemic.

Residents very strongly agree they feel welcome, included, and respected when accessing Council services, facilities and activities. They also strongly agree that Bayside is:

  • Accessible and inclusive for all
  • Welcoming and supportive of people from diverse cultures
  • Respects, reflects, and is inclusive of First Nations' peoples.

This year, there was a significant increase in resident concern about safety, policing and crime, up from 3% percent nominating it in 2023 to 10% in 2024. This mostly included concerns about safety and security, and fear of crime particularly car break-ins, home invasions, and robbery.

Find out more about how Council is responding to community safety in Bayside.

What we're doing on key issues

We use the annual survey results to improve our services, strategies and plans. Some initiatives include:

Download the report

Community Satisfaction Survey Results 2024