Zoe Moffatt
Hume residents’ satisfaction with the condition of sealed roads has reached a four year low, new performance data reveals.
According to a performance statement complied by Hume Council for the auditor general for the year ending June 30, 2023, satisfaction with the state of sealed roads was 54 per cent, a seven per cent decrease from last year.
The statement said the wet weather, storm events and state government major road projects impacted overall satisfaction.
“The condition of sealed local roads is just one factor in this indicator result,” the statement said.
“Community members who provided a poor satisfaction rating with sealed local roads identified concerns about holes, cracks and uneven road surfaces, narrow streets and the impacts of wavy traffic and large vehicles.”
Satisfaction with council decisions was at an equal three year low at 55 per cent, which is a decrease from 57 per cent last year.
The statement said the results indicate the community want more information about issues affecting their local areas and to see their input has influenced council decisions.
“This is consistent with feedback on satisfaction with community consultation and engagement,” it said.
“Providing more information about key issues and how community feedback has informed decision-making may improve satisfaction.”
Speaking at the council meeting on October 9, councillor Jarrod Bell said the important document also included improved results in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) participation with 78.64 per cent of Indigenous children enrolled in the MCH service.
“We’re seeing for our fourth year in a row, increased participation in Aboriginal children in our MCH services,” he said.
“[This] is incredibly important in setting those young Hume residents up to having the best and strongest life moving forward.”
This four year high, follows a steady participation increase, with last year recording 76.5 per cent, and 67.25 per cent in 2021.
The statement said this improvement follows targeted work to support engagement, with Hume’s Aboriginal Engagement team continuing to provide a multi disciplinary approach to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
