A councils guide to using perception data for better decisions

The overlooked source of evidence shaping trust, alignment, and confident decision-making in local government.

What is Perception Data?

Perception data is insight into how people think about their experience with a service, process, or decision.

It’s not about moods or emotions, it’s about cognitive judgements.

• Did residents believe their input shaped the outcome?
• Did staff see the processes as clear, fair, and resourced?
• Did elected members interpret strategy as aligned and achievable?

While operational data tracks delivery, waste collected, permits issues, roads maintained, perception data reveals how those results are understood, trusted, and valued at scale.

This distinction matters. Because if the community doesn’t believe in the value of a service, or if staff don’t think processes are workable, satisfaction and trust erode regardless of how efficiently tasks are executed.

Why KPIs alone fall short

The 2025 Victorian Community Satisfaction Survey paints a sobering picture.

• Overall council performance declined to an index score of 53, continuing a four-year downward trend from its 2021 high of 61
• Value for money fell to 47, with more residents now believing services represent poor value than good value
• Community consultation and engagement dropped to 50
• Decisions made in the community's interest slipped to 49, a critical measure, given it is the single strongest driver of overall council performance perceptions.

These results came despite many councils continuing to service KPIs and compliance obligations.

The evidence is clear, what councils can prove they delivered is not the same as what people think they achieved.

 

Without perception insight, gaps remain hidden until they escalate.

As Tania Russell from Taupō District Council put it:

“We had a gut feeling where the volume of service requests was, but I wanted to understand the sentiment behind it. Was it the process? Was it aggravating? Were people actually okay with it? Good, bad, or ugly, we wanted to know.” 

- Tania Russell, Community Engagement and Development Manager

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Perception data in action

Used well, perception insight becomes a lever for stronger governance and leadership

• Surface misalignment early
  See where staff, community, and elected members diverge before it becomes a conflict.

• Strengthen funding and policy cases
  Numbers show efficiency, perception data shows legitimacy and value.

• Give leaders clarity to say ‘not yet’
  Distinguish between loud voices and strategic needs.

• Capture insight in real time
  A QR code at a library event can instantly show what parents, staff and councillors each think. Divergent answers spotlight where alignment work is needed.

What great perception insight looks like

The most useful perception data is

• Regular – Integrated into routine delivery, not annual surveys alone
• Specific – One service, one decision, one question at a time
• Inclusive – Covering staff, leadership, and community perspectives
• Actionable – Easy to interpret and immediately usable

How to start simply

You don’t need big budgets or complex instruments

1. Pick a micro-moment (e.g. school holiday programme)
2. Ask three groups one evidence-based question:
   

   Parents: “Did this meet your expectations?”

   Staff: “Was delivery straightforward?”

   Leaders: “Does this align with community priorities?”

   
   
3. Compare the answers
   Where they diverge, you’ve found your leadership opportunity.

The strategic edge

Perception data isn’t a soft extra. It’s a hard edge of evidence that councils can’t afford to miss.

• It strengthens community trust by proving transparency.
• It helps leaders allocate stretched resources where they matter most.
• It gives CEOs and executives a defensible evidence base for decisions under scrutiny.

Ultimately, KPIs measure what happened. Perception reveals what people think that means.

When councils integrate both, they move from reactive service delivery to insight-led leadership.

Because in the end, it’s not just what you do, it’s what people conclude from what you do, that shapes trust, alignment, and sustainable council performance.