Council report card shows a year of real progress

In the last financial year Council completed the Civic Administration Building, substantially completed the Aquatic Centre, installed district wide water meters and spent millions on improving the District’s stormwater systems, roads and footpaths.

These are some of the achievements outlined in the Council’s 2012/13 Draft Annual Report tabled at today’s meeting of the Corporate Business Committee.

Council’s level of service to the community, through its various activities, shows an overall achievement of 80%, up from 71% in 2011/12.

The Draft Annual Report shows Council’s performance for the year in both a service and financial context, against Year One of the 2012 Long Term Plan (LTP).

The report shows Council ended the year in a sound financial position with a net operating surplus of $1.013 million.  This resulted mainly from savings in loan servicing costs as a result of lower interest rates and the careful management of interest rate swaps.  Included in the $1.013 million operating surplus is the rates surplus of $723,000.  Of this, $341,000 was used to offset the 2013/14 rates increase and the rest will be used to offset the 2014/15 rates increase.

Chief Executive, Pat Dougherty says it has been a busy year, in which Council has made significant progress on the five priorities identified in the 2012 LTP.

“We completed the Civic Building upgrade and substantially completed the aquatic centre. We invested heavily in securing a long term water supply for Waikanae, Paraparaumu and Raumati through purchasing land for a dam and applying for resource consent for the Waikanae River Recharge project.  In addition, construction of the Expressway moved closer and Council has continued initiatives to stimulate economic development in the District.”

Mr Dougherty said Council had also spent $4.2 million on roads and footpaths, $2.4 million on stormwater infrastructure and purchased the 24 hectare Waikanae Turf Farm, which will combine with the Howarth block to provide future residents with a significant recreation reserve and sports fields.

This report paints a picture of a very productive and satisfying year indeed,” Mr Dougherty says.

The Annual Report, along with the Audit Report, will go before Council for adoption on October 3.