News

In the Dunedin City Council’s 2014 Residents’ Opinion Survey, 58 per cent of those who responded were satisfied or very satisfied with the DCC’s progress. Approximately 2,000 Dunedin residents completed the survey from 4,500 randomly selected individuals off the electoral roll.

Increases in satisfaction were seen with the DCC’s customer service (up nine per cent from 2013 to 88 per cent satisfaction) and communication (up seven per cent to 77 per cent). Rises also occurred from areas of high importance, such as the retention of business and jobs (up six per cent to 22 per cent) and the road network suitability for cyclists (up seven per cent to 29 per cent).

Drops in satisfaction were found in areas such as the Dunedin Ice Stadium (down by 10 per cent to 71 per cent) and the look and feel of the South Dunedin retail area (down by six per cent to 25 per cent).

Dunedin Major Dave Cull gave Critic his view on the survey statistics, citing possible reasons for the increases and decreases. Cull acknowledged that all decreases in satisfaction were of a concern. In response to satisfaction around the Ice Stadium, Cull attributes the decrease to the turmoil in management that the Ice Stadium has gone through in the last year. Reece Aiken from the Ice Stadium Dunedin said that although numbers of visitors have actually increased in the last year, most people are unaware that there is an ice rink in Dunedin. Otherwise, Aiken was unsure of any other reasons behind the drop.

Satisfaction around the “look and feel” of South Dunedin has decreased, however, Cull stated that the majority of this dissatisfaction did not actually come from South Dunedin. “The interesting thing was if they lived and shopped in South Dunedin, they were generally very satisfied with the look and feel.”

The Dunedin cycle way is a recurring issue for Dunedin, with the council receiving hundreds of submissions to improve safety and access for cyclists. Cull recognised that the current 29 per cent satisfaction rate is not good enough.

Claire Hodge, an advocate for active transport, discussed the changes that have occurred to the cycle network. “As far as I’m aware, not much work was actually done last year to improve cycle lanes in Dunedin City. This is despite the fact that the work on the South Dunedin Cycle Network was meant to commence June 2013.” Hodge attributes the rise in satisfaction to the increased discussion of urban cycling. Some of the cycle developments the DCC are planning are a network of cycle ways in South Dunedin, a cycle way from Aromoana to Taiaroa Head, and possible separate cycle ways on Cumberland Street and Great King Street. “This would vastly improve cycle safety on what is currently a pretty unsafe stretch of road,” said Hodge.