The Local Government Association of Tasmania yesterday released its community satisfaction survey from polling of 1240 Tasmanians done by EMRS.

It found an overall satisfaction score of 69 per cent for nine categories of council services.

This was the lowest score in six similar surveys taken over 12 years, level with the 2006 result.

Participants were asked to rate waste management, council staff, community health and safety, recreation and cultural facilities and programs, social and community services, community involvement, planning and development, and roads, footpaths and traffic.

More than one-quarter of respondents said roads, footpaths and traffic should be a top priority, and 25 per cent said they needed service improvement.

Respondents said social and community services and recreational and cultural programs should be prioritised.

Twelve per cent said waste management needed improvement, even though that service received the second- highest satisfaction rating at 77 per cent - which was the same satisfaction score for council staff.

Community health and safety polled well with a 73per cent satisfaction rating, as did recreational and cultural programs with 70per cent.

Planning and development polled lowest in the satisfaction ratings at 56 per cent.

LGAT president Barry Easther said the results were reassuring for councils and staff despite a percentage point drop on the last satisfaction survey.

"It's nice to be reassured that the work councils are doing is being well-accepted by their communities," he said.