MOST residents responding to a survey by East Hampshire District Council said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the council’s services.

Questionnaires returned by people chosen at random showed a far higher level of satisfaction than the previous survey in 2011.

More than 75 per cent of respondents said they were with the quality of EHDC’s services, compared with 60 per cent five years ago.

Benchmarking it against a group of survey results from other councils, East Hampshire came sixth out of 27 measured by the percentage of residents who are very satisfied with the way the council runs things.

EHDC deputy leader Richard Millard said: “These results are superb and show the people of East Hampshire are more than happy with the vast majority of our frontline services.

“It is harder than ever for councils to keep council tax low and maintain excellent public services but these results indicate our services are improving even as we cut our share of council tax by two per cent.

“Every year financial support from the government dwindles further, but EHDC is determined not to cut back frontline services and instead seek out new ways of generating income. These results are a testament to the success of that ideal and the hard work and the smart policies of council.”

Overall, 52 per cent said they agreed the council provides value for money, including eight per cent who strongly agreed, which placed East Hampshire second out of 27 similar council surveys.

The survey saw an impressive result for the council’s waste collection, its most high-profile service, with 93 per cent agreeing they were either satisfied or very satisfied.

But residents’ concern over rubbish or litter lying around in the area increased from 34 per cent in 2014 to 40 per cent in 2016.

A total of 77 per cent of residents were also satisfied, or very satisfied, with electoral registration as were 72 per cent with the council’s collection of council tax.