Alpine Shire Council's performance has recorded a significant improvement in the latest Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey, with residents rating Council more positively across almost every measure compared with the previous year.
The annual survey, coordinated by Local Government Victoria, found Council's overall performance rating increased by eight points to 55 in 2026, placing it above the Small Shire average and reflecting improved sentiment across the community.
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, said the results showed positive progress while also highlighting areas where Council must continue to improve.
"It's encouraging to see residents recognising improvements across a range of areas, particularly in overall performance, Council direction and the way decisions are made in the interests of the community," she said.
"These results suggest we're moving in the right direction, but they also make it clear that there is more work to do.
"Residents continue to tell us that road conditions, customer service and value for money remain important priorities, and those are areas we will continue to focus on."
One of the strongest improvements was in residents' perceptions of Council making decisions in the interests of the community, which increased by eight points to 54. The result sits above both the State and Small Shire benchmarks.
Waste management remained Council's highest-rated service area, increasing by 11 points to a score of 71 and matching the Small Shire benchmark.
Council also recorded notable improvements in its rating for general direction, which rose nine points to 47, and spending of public funds, which increased six points to 49.
Council's Chief Executive Officer, Will Jeremy, said the results reflected the value of listening to community feedback and responding to local priorities.
"The survey provides an important insight into how residents view Council's performance and where we should continue directing our efforts," he said.
"It's pleasing to see improvement across nearly all measures, and in particular, more positive feedback from our younger residents."
Mr Jeremy said at the same time, Council recognised there are areas where community expectations remain higher than current performance, particularly around local roads and the customer experience.
"The feedback helps us understand where we're making progress and where we need to keep improving our services and communication with the community," he said.
The survey highlighted sealed local roads as one of the key opportunities for improvement, with road condition and maintenance the most frequently identified issue in residents' open-ended feedback.
Customer service improved compared with last year, rising five points to 60, although it remains below the State benchmark.
The Community Satisfaction Survey was conducted during February and March 2026. Four hundred Alpine Shire residents participated, including 300 telephone interviews and 100 online surveys.
Each year, 400 Alpine Shire residents are selected to participate, with respondents chosen to reflect a representative cross-section of the community across different age groups, locations, genders and other demographics.
A sample of 400 respondents provides a statistically reliable picture of community sentiment, meaning that surveying significantly more people would be unlikely to materially change the overall results.
To read the full report, visit: 2026 Community Satisfaction Survey Report