Masterton sewers get thumbs up

Footpaths remain the target of dissatisfaction, according to a survey. PHOTO/FILE

Masterton's town sewerage system has scored top marks in the latest National Research Bureau satisfaction survey carried out earlier this year.

The survey, of 401 residents selected at random from the telephone book and a further 272 who self-selected into the survey on-line, showed 95 per cent of them gave the town sewers a tick.

That was the highest level of satisfaction for all responses to the success or otherwise of services and functions carried out by Masterton District Council.

Next came community events organised by council and the town's water supply that tied for second with a pass mark of 89 per cent.

Satisfaction with parks and reserves came in next with 86 per cent, followed by library services and Wairarapa Archive on 85 per cent.

Footpaths maintained its rating as the most dissatisfied council amenity, a position it has often held since survey's began in 2001.

Just on 40 per cent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the town's footpaths, followed by roads on 30 per cent dissatisfaction, dog control and parking in the CBD (23 per cent) and refuse disposal (21 per cent).

The last named included dissatisfaction with the transfer station, composting and recycling.

NRB sought answers from respondents on where they got information on council matters and newspapers were again the highest reported source on 74 per cent, down four per cent on last year's survey results.

The rise of the social media as a source of council information, which had gone from nil to four per cent over the previous two years, fell back markedly to register at two per cent this year.

A heartening aspect for the council would be the figures regarding interest shown in the annual plan.

Of those asked, 67 per cent said they had reported seeing the plan, up from 60 per cent in 2015.