NPDC Satisfaction Survey 2016
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NEW PLYMOUTH DISTRICT COUNCIL COMMUNITRAK SURVEY APPENDICES FEBRUARY 2016 NEW PLYMOUTH DISTRICT COUNCIL COMMUNITRAK SURVEY APPENDICES OF VERBATIM RESPONSES TO THE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS FEBRUARY 2016 National Research Bureau Ltd PO Box 10118, Mt Eden, Auckland, New Zealand P (09) 6300 655, www.nrb.co.nz CONTENTS Page No. Q3 Reasons why they were not very satisfied with the Council’s response .................... 1 a. "by phone" .................................................................................................................. 1 b. "in person" .................................................................................................................. 3 c. "in writing" ................................................................................................................. 4 d. "by email" ................................................................................................................... 5 e. "by social media (eg, Facebook, Twitter) ............................................................... 6 Q7 Reasons why they were not very satisfied with ............................................................. 7 a. "the ability to drive around the District quickly, easily and safely" .................. 7 b. "the quality of roads overall"................................................................................. 10 c. "the quality and safety of footpaths" .................................................................... 13 d. "the quality and safety of cycleways" .................................................................. 16 e. "flood protection" .................................................................................................... 19 f. "stormwater services" ............................................................................................. 20 g. "the availability of car parking in the District" ................................................... 22 h. "the water supply" .................................................................................................. 25 i. "animal control" ....................................................................................................... 27 j. "the quality of parks and reserves, including the Coastal Walkway and Pukekura Park" ....................................................................................................... 29 k. "the maintenance and presentation of urban landscapes and streets, particularly flowerbeds and displays" ................................................................. 30 l. "the quality of the venues for entertainment, cultural and sporting events in the District" ............................................................................................. 32 m. "the quality of entertainment, cultural and sporting events in the District" .. 33 n. "the quality of the District's sports fields" ........................................................... 34 o. "the quality of the District's playgrounds" .......................................................... 35 p. "the quality of public toilets" ................................................................................. 36 q. "access to the natural environment, including the rivers, lakes, the mountain and the coast" ........................................................................................ 39 r. "kerbside rubbish and recyclables collection" .................................................... 40 s. "the sewerage system" ............................................................................................ 43 t. "the library at Puke Ariki" ..................................................................................... 44 u. "Community libraries, other than the Puke Ariki library" ............................... 45 v. "the Museum at Puke Ariki".................................................................................. 46 w. "Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre" ................................................. 47 x. "the airport" ............................................................................................................. 50 y. "the assistance Council gives to the community, ie, grants to community organisations and general support to community groups" .............................. 51 z. "public swimming pools" ...................................................................................... 52 aa. "the quality of the New Plymouth District living environment is being maintained (both the natural environment and the built environment)" ...... 53 Q11 Examples/instances that has led them to feel not very satisfied with the way rates are spent on the services and facilities provided by Council ................... 54 Q13 Where or from whom do they mainly see, read or hear information about Council ................................................................................................................................ 56 CONTENTS (continued) Page No. Q14 Newspapers where they mainly see or read information about the Council .......... 57 Q17b+c Things Council has done well in the past year ............................................................. 58 Q18b+c Things Council could have done better in the past year ............................................. 67 Q19 Things they would do if they wanted Council to do something ............................... 76 Q20a Services/facilities that it does best and reasons why .................................................. 77 Q20b Services/facilities that it does the worst and reasons why ......................................... 87 Q3 Reasons why they were not very satisfied with the Council’s response a. "by phone" Poor attitude/poor service/unhelpful - "We paid a parking ticket and had to ring them when they said we hadn't paid. A stubborn resistance to listen to our explanations." - "I rang with a concern and was forwarded to engineers who laughed off my concern." - "Rang about a friend's rubbish. She bought extra stickers for extra bags but Council left them behind. I rang the Council and was told "it's not our problem", Hume Street, Waitara." - "Changed rubbish collection. Rang to see if can buy bins. Answer, "take it to Okato," cost of petrol and time???" - "I had no water so I rang the Council, this is a long story bear with me: Across the road from my house is a building site where excavation had created a large pile of topsoil. This topsoil would get blown across the road onto my house coating everything in my house of dust and clogging my taps. All the pile of topsoil needed was to be kept damp so that it didn't get blown as dust everywhere but the Council refused to turn the water on at the building site, saying that the owner required only a trickle of water, one litre an hour. No matter how many times I rang and tried to explain the problem to the Council they simply refused to listen. It was like talking to a brick wall. Very, very frustrated and annoyed by this. If only they had listened my house would not have been filled with dust and my taps would not have been clogged." - "Wouldn’t get put through to superior, she basically told me to take a running jump. I rang her about trying to get out of paying for a rubbish collection I don’t get." Do not return calls - "Over a lack of/no parking at Len Lye Art Gallery. Put me through to planning and have not had the courtesy of a return call. Before Xmas I rang." - "They didn't get back to me. Have rung again, still didn't get back to me." Lack of action/slow to act - "Nothing got done. Contacted them about the road, Pukearuhe Road, Waikaramarama Road." - "Contacted them about a dog barking and Council didn't appear to do anything, Waitara, Rawley Street." - "Noise control issues, amount of details of caller questioned, slow reaction, needed to call twice. Have given up ringing." - "Back onto park, trees cause a problem, took a year to get some attention, given email address to contact someone." - "Trying to get the Council to trim trees from Council road front and walkway. They won't take responsibility. The conservation man tidied up for me, Upper Wairau Road." - "Rang Council re large amount of grass left after mowing, in neighbour's garden, Tuiti Street, Waitara. Fire risk. Council referred me to Fire Department who referred me back to Council Offices. Unhappy that no one prepared to take responsibility for a danger to the area in such very hot weather." - "They didn't collect the rubbish bags when they said they would, Mangati Road, Bell Block. We had to keep them for an extra week." - "They failed to pick up my rubbish so I rang but was told I would have to wait for next week's collection. Believe they have now changed to a new contractor." continued ... 1 Lack of action/slow to act (continued) - "At start of new recycling rubbish collection we were two weeks without any collection at all. Phoned in several times. Complete lack of knowledge by help line staff. Happened in many areas of New Plymouth. Communication breakdown. Felt sorry for Council staff." Unsatisfactory outcome - "The response wasn't what I hoped it would be regarding the rubbish bags. I wanted to return them, but no." - "Problem not resolved." Others - "Water supply problem, pressure problem. A bit better now." 2 Q3 Reasons why they were not very satisfied with the Council’s response b. "in person" Unhappy with outcome/response - "Apparently law change so fencing problem is now legal and Council can't fix it." - "Council approved the construction of a fence on