Yearly review, KDC adopts Annual Report

30 Sep, 2022

Kaipara District Council has adopted their Annual Report for 2021/2022. The report was unanimously adopted in the September meeting, the last meeting of the term for the current Council.

The Annual Report is an independently audited document that Council produces each year to report on its progress in the previous financial year and measure its performance against the Annual Plan and Long Term Plan targets.

Chief executive Louise Miller noted many significant milestones had been achieved this year, including becoming an equal shareholder in Northland Inc, Northland’s Regional Economic Development Agency.

“Alongside other strategic achievements such as new ways forward for our libraries and starting the Climate Change work on our adaptive pathways planning for Ruawai/Raupo, our teams also completed $32.7 million of capital works. This is in comparison to the $23.7 million of capital works achieved the previous year.”

“We finished a number of externally funded projects including the upgrade of Pahi wharf and a new pontoon, sealing 10 kilometres of Pouto Road, completing 163 kilometres of rehabilitation across our unsealed road network, and constructing two 25-metre bridges in central Kaiwaka. These are huge achievements. We have benefitted from external funding for projects like these, so that we can deliver more for Kaipara without burdening our ratepayers.”

There was strong economic activity across the district, driving a significant increase in consents, financial contributions and development contributions. Consent fees were $320,000 higher than planned and $1.1 million more than the previous year. Actual cash received from development contributions was $2.2 million. According to Council’s accounting policies $1 million of this is to be shown in next year’s income for revenue recognition purposes.

Council’s external debt remained unchanged from last year at $44 million, and is $1.7 million lower than planned.

Council finished the year with an operating surplus of $33.5 million, $4 million lower than planned. The main reason for the variance is that the capital subsidies for the Te Kopuru and Raupo stopbanks, expected to be received during the year, will now be received over the next two years as associated works are completed.

Other notable points include:

· Council’s cash position increased to $21.8 million from $12.2 million last year due to an increase in contribution reserves and an increase in depreciation reserves. Council is now funding close to 100 percent of depreciation of waters infrastructure assets.

· Customer service staff completed 48,909 interactions with customers via phone, e-mail, and face to face

· 780 building consents were processed, and 646 LIMs (across an average of 4.25 days)

· Distribution of $252,448.48 back to our communities through Community Grants, Mangawhai Endowment Lands Account (MELA) and Reserve Contributions Contestable Fund.

Mayor Dr Jason Smith acknowledged the huge amount of work the Council had achieved, despite staff shortages in some departments, and challenges related to the ongoing Covid pandemic.

“We are proud to be one of the very first Councils to adopt their Annual Report this year. The Annual Report paints an extraordinary picture of a small council that is getting on with doing its job. When you look in the rear view mirror this is the document that tells you exactly what we have achieved.”

The Annual Report will be available online soon at kaipara.govt.nz/Annual-Report, alongside a summary.