Surf Coast Shire Council has received its results from the 2025 Victorian Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey.
Based on this year's responses, Council continues to rate higher than the statewide average and ahead of similar large rural councils in perceptions of overall performance and across almost all measures.
Council's overall performance score of 57 is the same as 2024, ranking ahead of the average rating of 50 for the large rural councils group, and 53 for all Victorian councils.
Waste management and customer service both received index scores of 70, rating as Council's highest performing individual areas – both well ahead of the state and group averages.
Surf Coast Shire also rated higher than the statewide and large rural council averages in the categories of overall direction, consultation and engagement, value for money, and community decisions.
Maintenance of unsealed roads (score of 46) and sealed roads (52) were rated higher than the averages for other council groups, however both rated lower than Surf Coast Shire's 2024 results.
The annual survey is commissioned by the Victorian Government, with all local governments in the state able to participate.
Independent phone surveys of 600 resident and non-resident Surf Coast Shire ratepayers were conducted earlier this year, with responses collated and analysed by JWS Research.
Australian-based call centre National Field Services made 18,388 calls to achieve the statistically valid sample of respondents.
Councillor Tony Phelps said the survey helps Council track its progress to determine areas for focus and improvement.
"Thank you to the community members who gave their time to complete the survey," Cr Phelps said.
"We aim to be a high performing Council, and this is a good way to get a snapshot of how our ratepayers think we're going.
"The responses suggest our performance is well ahead of the average Victorian council, but there's room to improve and we're still striving to get better.
"While it gives us good insight, it's important to note that this survey is one of several ways we evaluate our performance to decide our priority focus areas."
Read our full results.
