It took 72 percent of people just one visit to their local city hall (Urzad Miasta) to resolve the reason for their visit according to research on the work of 30 local councils in the Gdansk Metropolitan Area.

The same research showed that just one visit was needed to a local district office (gmina) in 69 percent of cases and in 53 percent of cases which involved visiting a local municipality authority office (powiat).

The study covered 20 municipality offices, 5 district offices and 5 city halls. Visitors to local authority offices were asked not just about the success in resolving the purpose of their visit but also the ability of the officials they met and the manner in which they were dealt with.

How did officials fare in these areas? 78 percent of visitors to city authority offices judged the competence of officials as very good (and 17 percent good), while in local municipality offices the figures were 52 percent as very good and 38 percent as good. Overall over 90 percent judged the work of officials as good or very good at all levels of local government.

There were some interesting responses from customers when asked how service could be improved.

Most, 15 percent, would like to see the length of queues reduced; 13 percent would like to see changes in the opening hours of local authority offices while 8 percent suggested service could be improved if offices were modernised.

Detailed results can be found in this PDF presentation (Polish only).

The study was conducted within the Metropolitan Local Government Practices Exchange platform project implemented by the Gdansk Metropolitan Area Association and the Polish Union of Active Mobility.

Results for a second part of the study, which has already been carried out by outside agencies, will be known in September. In this part of the study interviewers asked Gdańsk Metropolitan Area residents how they evaluate the quality of public services (such as roads, pavements, availability of cultural events etc.).