The Ashburton District Council's approval rating has plunged to its lowest level and there is a "clear link" to the state of the roads.
Satisfaction with the state of the roads dropped a further 14 percent in the past year to just 24 percent in the survey. Photo: LDR / Supplied
There were no surprises that potholes were again the biggest issue in the annual residents' survey.
In fact, the satisfaction with the state of the roads dropped a further 14 percent in the past year to just 24 percent.
Satisfaction levels with the council's overall performance dropped 8 percent to be at 66 percent, compared to 74 percent in 2021, to be at the lowest since the measure was introduced in 2015.
The report also showed decreased satisfaction in the mayor and councillors, and council staff, and 63 percent of respondents put that dissatisfaction down to roading as one of the main reasons.
Chief executive Hamish Riach said there was "a clear link between how people feel about roads and the council's overall performance".
"We're committed to addressing the issue of our battered and ageing roading network," Riach said.
"Not only is our roading network the fifth largest in New Zealand, but it is heavily used.
"When you add the increasing frequency of extreme weather events into the mix, it leaves us with a hefty challenge."
He pointed to the additional $1.7 million the council was investing in road rehabilitation this year that aims to provide long-term fixes to some problem areas.
The satisfaction with the quality of drinking water supply also dropped considerably, from 82 to 74 percent, led by a big increase in rural dissatisfaction.
While the survey highlighted some dissatisfaction, 92 percent of respondents said they perceive the district to be the 'same or a better place to live than it was three years ago'.
There were some key areas that showed improvement.
Rubbish and recycling satisfaction improved to 85 percent, having dropped down 8 percent last year, with the main criticism being the lack of a green waste bin - something the council is considering for the next long-term plan.
The 2021/22 Annual Residents' Survey was conducted on a representative cross-section of the community and was carried out in four stages throughout the year, both online and in hard copy. The sample size of the survey was 871 people across the district.
Read the full survey here.
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