Date: 13/07/2009
High Peak Borough Council is Derbyshire's best-performing local authority for value for money and overall public satisfaction with services.
And the council is in the top quarter of English local authorities on both counts.
The findings came from a postal survey carried out by Ipsos Mori last year as part of a national Place Survey. This survey measures how people feel about where they live and how satisfied they are with their local authority.
People's satisfaction with their local area had risen from 78 per cent to 85.4 per cent, compared with a similar survey two years before. Satisfaction with kerbside recycling and local recycling facilities also increased from 62 per cent to 67.7 per cent.
On the other hand, satisfaction with sport and leisure facilities and with the cleanliness of public land had both fallen. These two indicators were among 10 for which the council found itself in the lower half of authorities.
The council is confident that the work of the Joint Clean Team with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council set up last year will improve satisfaction with street clearning. The planned refurbishment of the Borough's leisure centres and completion of the Derbyshire County Council recycling centre at Waterswallows will also improve some of the lower ratings.
Said council leader Tony Ashton: "We are very grateful to the people who completed the survey. Their feedback is vital because it shows us where we need to improve.
"The Place Survey has revealed some very strong areas of performance. But the survey has also shown that we need to improve in some areas. We have already taken some of the action necessary and will continue to work hard to respond to our residents' expectations.'