ALTHOUGH Mornington Peninsula Shire has found little joy in the results of its the past two annual community satisfaction surveys, the same cannot be said for one of its most high profile contractors.
Waste collectors Solo Resource Recovery has been able to issue a news release saying the latest local government community satisfaction survey “highlighted the exceptional success of waste management services [in the shire], rating second overall behind art centres and libraries”.
The news release From trash to treasure: waste management services praised by locals, from Brisbane based BBS Communications Group, said the peninsula’s community, “young and old, have spoken, and waste management (including kerbside collection services) has emerged as one of the most highly rated services”.
“Showcasing the effectiveness of the council’s waste management initiatives, resident satisfaction with waste management in the Mornington Peninsula outperformed other service areas such as community and cultural services, tourism development, environmental sustainability, town planning, traffic and others in the 2023 survey,” BBS said.
The latest satisfaction survey saw the shire at an “all time low”, putting it “significantly lower” than the state average in nine out of 28 service areas as well as in customer service, value for money and overall performance (“Shire hits all time low in satisfaction” The News 3/10/22).
Since then, the shire has decided to commission four quarterly surveys which the mayor Cr Steve Holland says will provide “more timely feedback” (“‘Satisfaction’ surveys start this week” The News 11/7/23).
The Solo news release did give some acknowledgement to the shire: “The success of waste collection in the Mornington Peninsula is a result of collaborative efforts between Solo Resource Recovery, local residents and the Mornington Peninsula Shire, who have all played a pivotal role in optimising the waste collection process.”
It went on to say how Hayley Meggyesy’s two-year-old son Artie “stands at the front window every week waiting for the waste collection trucks to pass and is never disappointed” as truck drivers driving “slowly” past their home return his waves.
A second resident, Amy Huffer, tells of a similar experience with her son, William.
“The drivers at Solo Resource Recovery are exceptional human beings, and the care they take with the children that come out to watch them do their job is awesome,” Huffer said.
Two of the truck drivers are named and quoted about their day’s being “made” by being able to bring smiles to children’s faces.
“I’ve met a lot of nice people that I see every week, and to get that great feedback from them and see the kid’s faces light up when we come down their street makes this work really rewarding,” driver David Guerin is quoted as saying.
Solo’s peninsula operations supervisor Franz Meister said the community satisfaction survey “serves as a crucial barometer for assessing the quality and satisfaction of services offered to residents”.
“The results of the most recent survey, and in fact surveys of past years, reiterates the significant progress made in partnership with the council creating a clean, sustainable, and environmentally responsible waste management service … It is truly a valued acknowledgment from residents, and it reflects our dedication to providing top- tier waste management solutions that prioritise the needs of residents while embracing sustainable practices.”
First published in the Mornington News – 29 August 2023
