Service Satisfaction Results

The Shoalhaven Service Satisfaction Survey gathers community feedback on satisfaction with Council's broad range of services.

The 2026 Service Satisfaction Survey received responses from 430 Shoalhaven residents and ratepayers, exceeding the target sample size of 400 required to achieve statistically reliable results. Responses were well distributed across age, gender and geographic groups, ensuring strong representation among our diverse community.

Council partnered with Place Score to deliver the survey via email, with responses collected directly from residents and ratepayers across the local government area.

What does the Survey tell us?

The Survey provides valuable insights into:

  • The community's overall satisfaction with Council's services
  • Community experiences of Council's performance across 50 service areas
  • How satisfaction levels vary across different demographics, including age, gender and geographic location within the Shoalhaven Local Government Area
  • Community priorities based on service importance and satisfaction ratings

These insights help Council understand what matters most to community and ensure available resources are directed towards the services and outcomes that deliver the greatest value.

Key findings

  • Overall Satisfaction: 57% of respondents rated their overall satisfaction with Council performance as average or above in 2026, this is a drop from 73% in 2023
  • Highest Performing Service Areas: Community feedback highlighted a number of Council services that are valued and performing well. Water supply and quality, library services, rubbish tip operations, cemeteries, household garbage collection and waste management received some of the highest satisfaction ratings. Strong satisfaction was also reported for tourism and visitor information services, swimming pools, arts and cultural facilities and community buildings and halls.
  • Lowest Performing Service Areas: Our community told us there are several service areas where Council is not meeting community expectation. Road maintenance and condition for both sealed and unsealed roads, responsible financial management, providing value for money from rates, planning for future community needs and overall Council direction received lower satisfaction ratings. Respondents also indicated lower levels of satisfaction with Council decision-making, Councillors, advocacy and lobbying activities, and planning and development services.
  • Service Priorities: Our residents and ratepayers identified a number of service areas that they consider highly important but are not performing to a satisfactory level. These include road maintenance and condition for sealed roads, providing value for money from rates, responsible financial management, Council making decisions in the best interests of the community, community safety and crime prevention and planning for future community needs. These areas highlight where Council need to do better.
  • Service Strengths: Survey respondents highlighted a number of service areas that achieved strong satisfaction ratings while also being considered important by the community. These include library services, household garbage collection and waste management, water supply and quality, performing arts and entertainment services, swimming pools and tourism and visitor information services. These areas represent key strengths in Council's service delivery and are important to maintain to support ongoing community satisfaction.

The survey results indicate that community satisfaction with a number of Council services is below community expectations. While Council faces ongoing resource and financial constraints, these findings provide valuable insight into how we can focus our attention on areas that provide the greatest value to the community.

Importantly, the results also reflect a broader trend being experienced across the local government sector, with many councils reporting declining levels of community satisfaction.

The survey has provided Council with a clear understanding of the services that matter most to the community and the areas requiring the greatest focus. Council will use this feedback to guide planning, service delivery and resource allocation decisions, ensuring available resources are directed towards the areas most important to community while continuing to strengthen financial sustainability and deliver value for ratepayers.

Explore the Report

We encourage residents and ratepayers to explore the Executive Summary Report, which provides a snapshot of the 2026 Service Satisfaction Survey results. The report highlights community satisfaction levels, the services considered most important by the community, and how Shoalhaven compares with other New South Wales councils.

Download the Executive Summary Report

Thank you for sharing your views and experiences

Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in the 2026 Service Satisfaction Survey.

The feedback received has provided Council with a clear understanding of the services that are most important to our community, where we are meeting expectations and the areas that require focused attention. Council will use these insights to help inform future planning and decision-making, ensuring available resources are directed towards the areas of greatest importance.

We invite you to explore the survey results and see what the community told us about Council's services and priorities for the future.

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