Condition of local public buildings and the quality of local welfare services

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze how public buildings and their condition relate to how satisfied users are with related public services. Design/methodology/approach Data from two surveys are coupled: a survey of public officials on the state of public buildings and on their expectation of the impact on public services and a citizen survey that includes satisfaction measures for public services. Public records on finances and other relevant aspects of local governments are also considered. Findings Expectations of public officials on the impact of building conditions on services are weakly correlated with satisfaction of the public with public services. When factors that may impact building conditions as well as services are controlled for, the results are fragmented. For nursing homes, poor building conditions and low satisfaction with elderly care are significantly related. For kindergartens and schools, as well as the overall measure, there is no significant relationship between building conditions and satisfaction with public services. Originality/value The results are contrary to earlier analysis and may indicate data quality issues. The results also demonstrate the lack of understanding of how public buildings support and facilitate the production of public services.