Council report shows a positive year

Council has adopted the 2014-15 annual report which shows the Council to be in good health. The annual report is a key accountability document for reporting on Council’s performance.

Acting Mayor Mike Cardiff said 2014-15 was a positive year.

“We completed some major projects, progressed others, and continued to deliver a range of services to the community.  Importantly, we ended the year with better operating profitability than projected and borrowings were in line with budget.”

He said 2014-15 also presented some significant challenges and opportunities which council and the community responded to positively.

“It’s been particularly pleasing to see the many areas in which people across the community have worked together.

“Significantly, on Waitangi Day, we re-signed the district’s 21-year old Memorandum of Partnership with the district’s three iwi.  This sets out how we will work together over the next three years.

“We developed a new economic development strategy together with the business community, engaged with submitters on the next draft of the Proposed District Plan, and worked closely with residents during the May floods.

“We’ve also achieved great progress in other areas.

“We commissioned our river recharge scheme which together with our other initiatives helps provide a secure, sustainable and affordable water supply for Kāpiti residents for the next 35 years.

“We’ve monitored consents and conditions we set down to help ensure the expressways work will be environmentally sustaining and visually appealing.

Acting Mayor Cardiff said he would encourage members of the community wanting to get a better idea of what Council has been up to during 2014-15 to read the annual report.

“The report shows our achievements, the progress we’ve made in each of our activity and service areas, and where we’ve got to with the wide range of projects underway, as well as our financial results. It’s a concise and informative read.”

Key points from the 2014-15 annual report include:

• At year’s end Council had:
• $1.4 billion-worth of assets (pipelines, wastewater, roads, bridges, cycleways etc)
• $138 million of borrowings (consistent with projections)
• $1.45 million operating deficit (compared to forecast deficit of $2.84 million)
• We repaid $5 million of long-term debt during the year.
• We kept our Standard and Poor’s credit rating of A+.
• We secured $1.57 million of new funding for cycleways, bridleways and walkways through the Government’s “Urban Cycleway’s Fund’.
• We processed nearly 20,000 service requests (anything from a fire permit to a leaking toby).
• We made over 5,500 building site inspections (within statutory timeframes).
• We laid 19 kilometres of new road seal throughout the district.
• We carried out 1000 metres of water main renewals and repairs.
• 700,000 items were borrowed from the district’s three libraries.
• 2000 young people attended the annual Youth Fest in March.
• 200,000 people used our  award-winning Coastlands Aquatic Centre.

The report and a summary are on Council’s website and printed copies will be available from District libraries and service centres by the end of October.