LOS are defined to enable service performance to be measured. Service levels generally relate to location, functionality, quality, quantity, safety, capacity/utilisation, aesthetics, reliability and responsiveness. They provide the link between higher-level community, corporate and asset management objectives and more detailed technical and operational objectives. LOS are defined using customer and technical measures. Customer LOS describe attributes of the service from a customer viewpoint: how the customer receives or experiences the service. Technical LOS support customer measures and are used internally to measure the performance of the service. LOS are reported using a 1–5 star rating assessment for each service output. These ratings are collated to form a current average LOS. The star rating system provides a universal platform for comparing LOS across different services at a corporate level. A general standard description for each star rating is provided below.
Star Rating ★☆☆☆☆
General Standard of Key Service Attributes Basic quality standard. Low community usage, limited functionality.
★★☆☆☆
Average quality standard and presentation. Moderate community usage and functionality.
★★★☆☆
Good quality standard and presentation. Medium–high community usage. Fit for purpose. Maintained and presented in good condition.
★★★★☆
★★★★★
Very good quality standard. High community usage, functionality and capacity. Maintained and presented in very good condition. Services LGA community and beyond. Excellent quality standard. Very high community usage, functionality and capacity. Maintained and presented in excellent condition. High profile; delivers important economic benefits and services to LGA and regional community.
Level of Service – Description Services are important to the local neighbourhood. Maintenance is aimed at safety and security, protecting against vandalism or other damage. Scheduled inspections and maintenance programs are undertaken. Services provided are locally important. The asset is preserved in a satisfactory condition by regular inspection, maintenance programs and response times to meet requirements of local community. Services provided are locally important and regularly accessed by the wider community. The asset is in good condition. Regular inspection and maintenance programs and response times are met. Meets community expectations for service provided. Services that provide major contribution to the social and/or economic wellbeing of Newcastle. The assets are in good–very good condition. Good public presentation, high use and highquality working environments are necessary; important public focus (e.g. a district park). Services that provide the largest contribution to the social and economic wellbeing of Newcastle. High profile, use and economic value. Important public focus. Excellent public presentation. The asset providing the service is kept in very good condition and meets requirements to deliver regional services/objectives. Facilities are of major local or regional significance (e.g. heritage and cultural facilities).
Table 1: 1–5 star ratings for LOS
LOS are measured using quantitative and qualitative data, including: • Community engagement and customer satisfaction surveys • Targeted customer feedback • Analysis of customer requests • Asset condition reporting, functionality and usage data • Environmental performance and sustainability • Accessibility provisions. Using the above, CN establishes the current LOS for all its asset-based services and assigns a star rating. Some examples of performance measures determining our current LOS include: •
Cultural facilities have the capability to host desired programs and events. The facilities are used, supported and valued by diverse communities where people can express, share and discover ideas and stories through art, curated heritage collections, music and theatrical performance.
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