Residents report growing confidence in Waitomo District Council

Waitomo District residents are reporting higher levels of satisfaction, trust and confidence in the district, according to the results of the 2026 Residents' Survey.

The independently conducted survey found overall satisfaction with Waitomo District Council increased from 53% in 2025 to 61% in 2026. Council's reputation improved from 62% to 70%, while trust in Council recorded the largest increase, rising from 59% to 70%.

Residents continue to feel positive about life in the district, with 78% rating their quality of life favourably, 68% agreeing the district is heading in the right direction, and 73% saying they are proud to live in Waitomo District.

Mayor John Robertson said the results show positive progress while also highlighting areas where residents want to see further improvement. 

"These results are encouraging and reflect the work being done across the district to improve services, infrastructure and community outcomes. It's particularly pleasing to see increases in satisfaction, trust and confidence in Council.

"At the same time, the survey gives us a clear picture of where residents want us to focus. Roading, stormwater and value for money remain important issues for our community, and that feedback helps guide our priorities and investment decisions."

"We would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey and provide feedback. This year’s response rate was very strong, and we appreciate the valuable insights shared."

The survey found strong satisfaction with many Council services and facilities. Open spaces remained the highest-rated service at 93% satisfaction, while public facilities achieved 86% satisfaction. Satisfaction also increased for water management, waste management, building consent services, wastewater services and Council communications.

Roading and stormwater remain among the district's lower-rated service areas.

“We acknowledge that we are behind in some work - fixing up serious damage on some roads that were hit by severe storms over a year ago.  We also understand that residents experience the transport network as a whole, including State Highways, which are managed by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi rather than Council,” Mayor Robertson said.

Significant investment and upgrades to local stormwater infrastructure are planned over the coming years to help address community priorities and improve service outcomes.

The survey was conducted during May 2026 by independent research company Key Research. A total of 432 responses were received, exceeding the target sample size of 400. Results have a 95% confidence level with a margin of error of ±4.57%.

Survey highlights
• Overall satisfaction with Council: 61% (up from 53%)
• Overall reputation: 70% (up from 62%)
• Trust in Council: 70% (up from 59%)
• Quality of life: 78% (up from 76%)
• District heading in the right direction: 68% (up from 65%)
• Pride in Waitomo District: 73% (up from 66%)
• Open spaces satisfaction: 93%
• Public facilities satisfaction: 86%

The full survey report and results are available www.waitomo.govt.nz/residents-survey