Community Survey

Community & Business Surveys 2008

Ashfield Council conducted its second annual Community and Business Surveys in August and September 2008 to seek feedback from the community about the level of satisfaction with Council's performance in a range of services and facilities.

The survey was conducted by Owl Research & Marketing and included a random telephone survey of 300 residents throughout the municipality.

The business survey was focused on business confidence and included a random sample of 100 businesses throughout the municipality - an increase on last year's sample of 50 businesses.

Please see results from each survey below.

Latest update on Council actions undertaken from the Community Survey.

Ashfield Council will incorporate results from our annual surveys into our Management Plan and Operation Plans.

Following results from our inaugural survey in 2007, we have completed work on an extensive action plan of recommendations arising from the results.

Community Survey 2007 results:

Corporate Identity Mini Survey 2007

As a preparation for future corporate identity activities, Ashfield Council conducted a “snapshot” survey in 2007 to determine community member's viewpoints about the prominent aspects of the Ashfield community.

The survey sample was small and the objective was to provide a ‘snapshot' of aspects of Ashfield the community felt were important, or representative of our community.

Distribution

The survey was conducted from Friday 3 August to Thursday 6 September 2007 via the following methods:

  • Ashfield Council's Local Government Week display in Ashfield Mall on Friday 3 August 2007
  • Notice in Council's weekly advertisement in the “Inner West Courier”
  • News brief sent to local media – “Inner West Courier” and “Inner West Weekly”
  • Online survey - Download survey and post or fax back to Council, or email your comments to info@ashfield.nsw.gov.au
  • Council staff
  • Ashfield Library customers
  • Haberfield Library customers
  • Ashfield Chamber of Commerce, Haberfield Chamber of Commerce and Summer Hill Village Business Association and Inner West Chinese Commercial Association
  • Customers at Community Services Counter

Completed surveys were placed in Survey Boxes at Council's Customer Service Centre, Ashfield Library and Haberfield Library, or posted or emailed to Council.

Survey Results

Council collected 80 completed surveys at the end of the survey period. A further three surveys were received after results had been collated.

Results were collated and analysed by Council. The following themes emerged as prominent ideas about the Ashfield Community from survey respondents:

Key Themes

Appearance (Need for improvement) – Grotty, dirty streets and shops, “Trashfield”, congested, “a faded glimpse of what it was, in need of urgent TLC”, great potential, neglected, need for improvement of roads.

Convenience – Proximity to Sydney CBD, public transport and shops, transport hub, transport routes, handy area.

Multiculturalism – Asian restaurants, concern over predominance of certain cultures, need for more integration, good atmosphere, humanity, tolerance, “Ashfield inspires and transpires cultural diversity”, concern over Asian shopfront presentation, particularly Liverpool Road .

Busy, energetic – Bustling, busy roads, lots of energy.

Diversity – Emergent, transforming, interesting, variety, cosmopolitan.

Community – Friendly, “home”, people have grown up here, raised their children here, peace and warmth.

Heritage – Sense of history and heritage.

Environment & Green Space – Parks, playgrounds, Ashfield Park .

Anti-development – Crowded, no parking, anti-development.

Click here for a graph of the Mini Corporate Identity Survey results.

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