Yarra Ranges Shire Council
Yarra Ranges Council has recorded a modest improvement in its overall community satisfaction score, according to the 2025 Victorian Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey (LGCSS).
The LGCSS, which is coordinated by the state government's Department of Government Services, is designed to measure community perception of a range of Council services, facilities and activities.
While the results are encouraging, Council acknowledges that meaningful progress requires sustained commitment and ongoing engagement with the community.
The Council's overall performance score rose from 46 in 2024 to 49 out of 100 in 2025—marking the first increase in three years and a notable contrast to the broader state-wide trend of declining satisfaction.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Councillor Jim Child, said we're pleased to see a small uplift in this year's results and thank our teams for their continued hard work.
"We're encouraged by this year's uplift and grateful to our teams for their continued efforts to deliver the very best for our community. At the same time, we know there's more to do."
"These results are a step in the right direction, but we remain focused how and where we can improve community's experience with our organisation," said Cr Child.
The survey, conducted by phone annually across Victoria, surveys 500 local residents to gauge perceptions of Council's performance. This year, 56 of the state's 79 councils participated.
Community satisfaction remains strongest in areas such as art centres and libraries, recreational facilities, and the appearance of public spaces - consistent with statewide trends and reflective of Council's ongoing investment in these services.
Challenges persist in areas such as unsealed roads, planning and building permits, and population growth – issues that are shared across many Victorian councils. Most service areas showed either stable or slightly improved results. Notable increases included:
- Decisions made in the interest of the community (up five points to 46)
- Support services for disadvantaged residents (up four points to 53)
- Overall Council direction (up three points to 42),
- Sealed local roads (up four points to 41).
These improvements suggest incremental progress, though Council acknowledges that building sustained confidence will take time. Overall, while the results show some positive movement, they also reinforce the importance of ongoing responsiveness to community needs and a balanced approach to service delivery.
The full report from the Community Satisfaction Survey Yarra Ranges Council.
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