The condition of roads in the Waitaki district remains an issue with residents, even though an extra $3 million is being spent over the next three to five years under a special project to improve them.
Apart from that, a survey for the Waitaki District Council shows a high level of satisfaction in many other areas, including safety, cultural facilities, parks and recreation and the approach by Mayor Gary Kircher and councillors.
The survey is held every year.
This year it involved 400 residents.
They are divided to represent the age make-up of the district and where people live.
For example, 26% were aged 18 to 39 years, 36% 40 to 59 years and 38% 60 years and over.
In 2012, satisfaction with roads was above 60%.
That year, 67% said roads were becoming safer, but that dropped to 34% last year.
This year's survey showed a rise to 46%.
In terms of road standards, they rated 63% in 2012, fell to 39% last year, then increased to 41%.
In response to the fall last year, the council investigated ways to improve roads and came up with its Rural Resilience Waitaki Project.
Under that, the council plans to spend an extra $635,000 on roads this financial year, using both ratepayers' and New Zealand Transport Agency funding.
That is part of a proposal to spend an extra $3 million over the next three to five years.
This financial year the focus will be on protecting vulnerable roads from flooding by installing wash-over pads, renewing and cleaning culverts and improving drainage.
An extra $100,000 has been set aside to renew gravel roads.
Under the roading portion of the survey there was also some good news for the council - walkways at almost 70% and cycleways at 75%, ranking highly in terms of satisfaction.
In other areas, water supplies scored an 82% rating, but council waste (rubbish) services ranked poorly at 47%, which was still better than last year's result.
