By Jonty Ralphsmith
Community consultation and engagement was highlighted as an area Greater Dandenong City Council should prioritise moving forward.
While rating above the state average in every measurement, the council rates lowest in this area and it is the second consecutive year that council’s performance has decreased, putting it at the lowest point it has been in this area since 2014.
Fifty-one per cent of people contacted council in the last 12 months – a decrease of nine per cent from 2021 and 12 per cent below the state average.
Councillor Tim Dark asked at a council meeting on Monday 25 July whether ward meetings could be re-introduced, attracting agreeance from councillor Lana Formoso who said councillors have become “non-existent”.
“People generally do not have an idea of what (the) council is doing at the moment,” Cr Dark said.
The survey found that the most common form of communication residents identified was via the monthly newsletter that gets delivered (47 per cent) or emailed (24 per cent).
Tying into the issue of consultation, Cr Dark added that there was a breakdown between what the council delivers and what ratepayers find out about, given the limited communication forms.
“We need to sell our message a bit better,” Cr Dark said.
“Whilst millennials can be hit through social media means, the older generation and multicultural communities don’t know where to go – simply sharing things on (social media) is not sufficient.”
“What I’ve found is we have plans and strategies for every bloody thing under the sun but it is clearly not being conveyed to our residents who in survey are showing there are issues.”
Outspoken Keysborough resident Gaye Guest praised the council’s responsiveness but opined that accessibility needs to be improved.
“When I write to directors I do get answers most times and almost instantly on some issues,” Ms Guest said.
“They’ve got to go out and meet the groups. I’m not going for a coffee and chat at the plaza.
“I was (somewhere) where there was an exercise workshop earlier – that’s where they need to be.”
Satisfaction with sealed roads decreased from 69 to 66 in the municipality and the issue is rated as the third most important service area in the municipality, up from equal fifth last year.
It was rated by participants as the top area for improvement in 2022 (10 per cent).
The gap between individual service area importance area for local roads (83) compared to performance 66) further suggests it needs to be a council priority area.
Ms Guest highlighted Chandler and Corrigan Roads as the thoroughfares that need to be improved given their current condition.
“Major roads almost need a daily inspection especially after we have rain. It’s like riding a rollercoaster.
“Our roads can’t deal with the traffic.”
Cr Dark, however, wondered whether many of the issues that led to the outcome was a result of the condition of VicRoads roads such as the Dandenong Bypass, which the council has no control over.
