Moyne Shire mayor Jim Doukas said the council's customer service needed to improve.
CORANGAMITE Shire Council seems to be doing a better job than other south-west municipalities in keeping its customers satisfied, according to a new statewide survey on local government performance.
Corangamite was the best performer with above-state average scores in all categories for overall performance, community consultation, advocacy, customer service and overall council direction.
Warrnambool City and Moyne Shire scored slightly below the statewide index on overall performance.
The survey across 71 municipalities was co-ordinated by the Department of Planning and Community Development at a cost of about $12,000 for each participating council.
Results will be used to help councils monitor their service delivery.
Research company JWS said Corangamite's performance was "very positive and commendable".
"It indicates not just improved performance during the past 12 months, but coupled with the right/wrong direction results shows the overwhelming majority of people think council is heading in the right direction," the company said.
Waste management, roadside slashing, weed control and maintenance of unsealed roads were the only sub-sections where Corangamite scored under the state average.
Warrnambool City scored two points below the state average for overall performance, one point above for community consultation, two above for advocacy, three above for customer service, but six below for overall council direction.
Sixty-two per cent of survey respondents said the city's overall direction had stayed the same.
Chief executive Bruce Anson said there were improvements to be made and a challenge to get better recognition of council's achievements in strategic projects.
"Customer service results showed 89 per cent of people thought we did a pretty good job," he said.
"There were a couple of areas we would have hoped our work would be better recognised."
Moyne Shire's overall performance index score was three points under the state average, but one above the large rural shires' average.
Its customer service rating was four points below the state average and one below the large shires' figure.
But it scored better for consultation, with four above the state average and seven above the large shire average, while in advocacy it scored one higher than the state average and three above the large shire average.
Mayor Cr Jim Doukas said customer service needed to improve.
Glenelg Shire Council did not release its index-rated scores, but said overall performance was strong.
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