The City of Kankaanpää participated in the Municipal Survey 2024 carried out by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities. The survey mapped the attitudes and participation of local residents in municipalities and their development over time. 46 municipalities from different parts of Finland participated in the survey.

In Kankaanpää, 155 residents responded to the survey out of a sample of 500. The response rate was therefore 31. The survey consisted of several sections. Residents were asked, among other things, their opinion on the characteristics of a good home municipality, the management and accessibility of services provided by municipalities, and their attitude to municipal elections and municipal decision-making.

Safety, a good living environment and a good apartment are important
Safety emerged as a key factor in a good home community, as 97% of respondents considered it to be quite or very important. A good living environment and a good apartment came in second place, as 95% and 93% of respondents considered them to be important parts of a good living environment. Closeness to nature (91%) and family and other loved ones (90%) followed.

Better ratings for sports services than in other study municipalities  
Of the services provided by the city of Kankaanpää, 91% of respondents considered sports and library services to be fairly or very well managed. For sports services, the figure was clearly higher than in the comparison municipalities (87%) and all study municipalities (80%). The respondents had also used sports and library services the most and found them to be the most accessible. Also, among the electronic services, the most popular were library and sports-related services.

Of the educational services, upper secondary education was rated as the best managed, with 85% of respondents saying it was fairly or very well managed. This was also better than in the control municipalities (82%) and all study municipalities (75%). Of the technical services, waste management received the best rating, with 79% saying it was fairly or very well managed. Water supply and sanitation came in second place, with 76% saying it was fairly or very well managed.

-Based on the survey, residents generally consider the city's services to be well-maintained and accessible. Smooth services guarantee a pleasant everyday life for Kankaanpää residents, and we will continue to strive to maintain this, emphasizes the mayor Mika Hatanpaa. 

Voting in municipal elections is interesting
The attitude towards voting in municipal elections was very positive: 80% of respondents said they planned to vote in the spring 2025 municipal elections and 13% were undecided. 54% planned to vote in the welfare district elections and as many as 35% were undecided. The most important factor in voting in municipal elections was considered to be the person, the second most important was the party, and the third most important was the candidate from one's own village or district. 

Measures supporting sustainable development are important

The survey also asked how important the respondent considers it to emphasize issues that promote sustainable development in their own municipality. Among respondents from Kankaanpää, responsible and proactive management of municipal finances was considered the most important, which 90% of respondents considered to be quite or very important. In second place was the prevention of inequality and exclusion, which 88% of respondents considered to be quite or very important.

Kankaanpää results report, Municipal Survey 2024 (PDF)

 

Additional information:

Mika Hatanpää, Mayor, City of Kankaanpää, tel. 044 577 2210, [email protected]
Marianne Pekola-Sjöblom, Research Manager, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, tel. +050 337 5634 XNUMX, [email protected]