Media Release

19 August 2009

Manukau residents give positive feedback

Residents rate Manukau as a great place to live, work and do business, according to this year’s Citizens’ Perception Survey.

Carried out by Manukau City Council, the survey finds out how residents feel about all aspects of living in this city.

Eighty-nine per cent of residents rated Manukau as a good place to live; 78 per cent say it’s an excellent place to work and 75 per cent think it’s a great place to do business.  This response has increased since 2007.

Other findings include:

Sixty-nine per cent of residents agree that the council had shown leadership on key issues in the past year – this is a 27 per cent increase since 2008
General increase in satisfaction with roads, water supply, storm water, rubbish collection, inorganic collection, footpaths and bus shelters
Increase in satisfaction with swimming pools, sports fields and parks and reserves
The majority of residents, 86 per cent, are satisfied with their local town centre
Eighty-one per cent of residents find it easy to travel around Manukau
Sixty per cent of residents are satisfied with the way the council involves the community in decision making, this is 25 per cent improvement since 2008
The percentage of residents reporting graffiti as an issue has decreased 26 per cent since 2007.

Manukau Mayor Len Brown is delighted with the findings as many were positive and others outline the areas where the residents would like to see improvement.

“The Citizens’ Perception Survey gives us a good idea of what we’re doing right, and what we need to concentrate on.

“I was also pleased to see the huge increase in the number of residents who agree that the council has shown leadership on key issues.  The council has made significant decisions about its stance on Auckland governance, the 10-year plan and transport projects, and lots more.”

The survey also found that crime, safety and public transport continues to be key concerns for residents, but perceptions of safety have improved.

Ninety-four per cent of residents feel very safe in their local town centre during the day, a significant improvement on the 84 per cent of residents who reported feeling safe in their local town centre during the day in 2008.

Safe City Portfolio Leader Dick Quax says, “It is good to see the significant increase in the number of residents who feel safe in their homes, neighbourhoods and towns centres during the day and night.  We have been actively working with Counties Manukau Police and other partners and community groups in the city on a range of initiatives.”

The Citizens’ Perception Survey is conducted each year by telephone interviews with a random sample of Manukau residents across the city.  You can check out the survey results online at www.manukau.govt.nz

ENDS

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