Community Survey - residents more satisfied in 2020

Published on 16 June 2020

The results are in for the Byron Shire Council’s 2020 Community Survey and there has been significant improvement since the last survey in 2018.

The top priority issues for residents in 2020, are the condition and maintenance of roads, affordability and availability of housing and managing development.

Four hundred residents were randomly surveyed about community needs, levels of satisfaction with Council and customer service across a broad range of services, issues and current experiences.

Byron Shire Mayor, Simon Richardson, said the survey provides a great opportunity for residents to let Council know where it is doing well and where improvement is needed.

“We want to keep improving and are committed to pushing ourselves hard as an organisation to do our best, and we know we sometimes fall a touch short, but it is pleasing our efforts are being noticed and appreciated as more than three quarters of residents, 78%, are somewhat to very satisfied with Council.

This is a significant improvement on the 2018 results when only 64% per cent of people said they were satisfied with Council’s performance,” he said. 

In 2020 residents were also more satisfied with 37 out of 39 services provided in Byron Shire including parks and playgrounds, quality of town centres, community consultation and the processing of development applications.

Results from the survey are compared to previous surveys to help determine changing needs and views.

“In 2018 residents told Council they wanted more investment in upgraded community infrastructure and so we did major work on Railway Park, Waterlily Park, Gaggin Park and the Bangalow Parklands; we’ve upgraded skateparks in Brunswick Heads and Federal and have started work on Mullumbimby,” Mayor Richardson said.

“We’ve delivered five new bridges in the Bangalow area, built new fish-friendly causeways and bridges and we’re refurbishing the magnificent South Arm Bridge at Brunswick Heads,” he said. 

Levels of resident satisfaction with local roads slightly improved over the last two years but there’s still a long way to go.

“With current record levels of investment going into local roads, we hope to see the improvement in satisfaction with roads continue to increase over the next two years,” Mayor Richardson said.

The 2020 Community Survey Report is available on Council’s website https://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/Council/About-Byron-Shire-Council/Community-survey and will be reported to the Council meeting on 25 June 2020.

For media enquiries contact Annie Lewis, Media and Communications Coordinator, on 6626 7320.