Government audit gives Rotorua District Council clean bill of health

The Office of the Auditor-General has given Rotorua District Council (RDC) a clean bill of health for its annual report on the 2010/11 financial year.

The report was formally adopted by the mayor and councillors last week at a meeting of the council.

Mayor Kevin Winters said the annual report was a transparent and open account of the work the council had undertaken for the Rotorua community during the year. It was also a legislative requirement ensuring councils were fully accountable for their activities and financial management.

Mr Winters said RDC had worked closely with Rotorua residents during the year with community engagement playing a vital role in ensuring sound, robust council decision-making processes.

“The council invited the community to have input into many of our plans and strategies while those documents were still at their draft stage. We received a very encouraging number of submissions covering a wide range of issues, plans and proposals, and this feedback ensured decisions taken by the council reflected community views wherever possible.

“We extend our thanks to all residents who worked with us during the year in developing strategies for our community today and for future generations.”

RDC chief executive Peter Guerin said he was very pleased to get the clear audit opinion from the government’s audit office confirming that the council was in good shape.

“Maintaining Rotorua’s high level of services in 2010/11 while operating within tight budgets has been particularly challenging. However we’re pleased to have been able to report that despite a continuing difficult national and global economic environment the council has been substantially successful in achieving the programme it committed to in our Annual Plan for the year.

“It’s confirmation of the sound business practices that we have in place and of effective leadership by the mayor and councillors.”

Highlights of the 2010/11 year included new sewerage schemes for lakeside communities to help improve lake water quality, celebrating the first anniversary of direct trans-Tasman air services between Sydney and Rotorua, preparation for the city’s role in Rugby World Cup 2011, completion of the Civic Theatre Stagehouse redevelopment on time and on budget, securing ongoing rights to host the popular Raggamuffin music festival, and a highly successful fundraising effort for the Museum Centennial Project with the construction programme almost complete by the end of the financial year.

RDC Corporate & Customer Services group manager Jean-Paul Gaston said the council had taken a new approach to presentation of its latest Annual Report.

“The document provides a huge amount of information and financial data so we’ve made it as visually interesting and readable as we can. A lot of work has gone into changing the presentation, language and flow of this year’s annual report.”

The full 2010/11 Annual Report can be downloaded here and copies can be inspected at the RDC Civic Centre, District Library and City Focus.