Corangamite Shire Council is committed to doing better after receiving a lacklustre report card from the community. The 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey, co-ordinated by the Department of Government Services, found a significant decline in community perceptions of all Victorian councils.
Customer Service was the Shire's best attribute for the sixth year in a row followed by Community Engagement/Involvement/Consultation/Approachable.
At the other end of the spectrum, sealed road maintenance continued to be the area deemed most in need of improvement.
Chief Executive Officer David Rae said Council took the results very seriously and would take steps to strengthen its relationship with the community.
"Council is disappointed by decline in community perceptions and this gives us pause for reflection.
"These results come at a time when everyone is feeling the pressure of cost-of-living crisis, drought and a global decline of trust in Government.
"The well-publicised issues around the Port Campbell Town Centre Project and competitive Federal election campaigning have also had profound impacts in our community.
"Dissatisfaction in the community despite service levels remaining consistent.
"The fact Corangamite still scores above state averages shows there are big picture issues across the whole local government sector but that's not an excuse for us to be complacent."
Mr Rae said the results made quite clear is that Council had to pay more attention to the north of the Shire.
"A focus on Council's work to capitalise on the economic benefits of Great Ocean Road Tourism have distracted form the fact Council does carry out works all around the Shire.
"Unsealed Roads continue to be the most underperforming areas, particularly in the north, but have stabilised after significant declines in prior years.
"That's despite widespread dry conditions putting more pressure on roads and hampering maintenance."
Council's overall performance index score dropped to 58 in 2025 from 64 in 2024 and a peak of 71 in 2021.
The Value for Money score declined from 57 to 52, suggesting diminishing community confidence in the cost-effectiveness of Council services and infrastructure.
"This measure is particularly influential in shaping residents' overall sentiment towards Council and may indicate a perceived disconnect between rates and service outcomes," Mr Rae said.
"Council has had to absorb rising costs and cost-shifting from other tiers of government, while rate capping limits income."
Customer service received an index score of 72, down from 76 in 2024. While still significantly higher than State-wide (66) and Large Rural (65) benchmarks, this is Council's lowest customer service score in five years. The drop was most notable among residents aged 65+.
Council Direction fell sharply from 54 to 47, marking a seven-point decline and the most substantial drop across core measures.
Community Consultation declined from 63 to 54, and Decisions Made in the Interest of the Community fell from 62 to 52, suggesting residents feel increasingly disconnected from decision-making processes.
"The south of the Shire recorded some of the lowest satisfaction scores, the north moderate to low satisfaction across many service areas, and central residents gave stronger results," Mr Rae said.
"This reinforces the need for tailored engagement and region-specific service delivery strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all model.
Mayor Kate Makin said: "It is clear our community expects more, especially around how we engage, communicate and maintain infrastructure. We're committed to meeting those challenges.
"Corangamite continues to outperform State-wide and Large Rural Shire averages in most service areas but it's the perceptions of our residents that count.
"Council will develop and undertake programs to address the underlying causes of these results.
"We carry out community engagement and communications activities in person, online and through traditional media channels and letterbox drops, but if there are people we're not reaching, we need to hear from them.
"If you hear someone has an issue, please encourage them to pick up the phone and talk to us."
Top performing services
- Emergency and Disaster Management 72 (▼3)
- Art Centres and Libraries 71 (Stable)
- Waste Management 71 (▲3)
- Recreational Facilities 70 (▼2)
- Appearance of Public Areas 69 (▼5)
- Elderly Support Services 69 (▲5)
Most in need of attention
- Planning and Building Permits 48 (▼8)
- Town Planning Policy 50 (▼10)
- Community Consultation 54 (▼9)
- Lobbying on Behalf of the Community (54 ▼10)
- Unsealed Roads 36 (Stable)
The full report can be found at corangamite.vic.gov.au/CSS.
