Continued discipline around financial management has seen the Whakatāne District Council end the 2013/14 financial year with a rating surplus for the third consecutive year. The rating surplus of $645,000 is just over 1% of the Council’s overall operating budget for the year, and Mayor Tony Bonne says this indicates that the Council is managing its budgets and work programmes prudently.

This result is particularly positive given a number of unexpected costs during the year related to the summer drought and risk of drinking water salinity, and the impacts of the Easter weekend storm.

The Council was able to achieve a rating surplus due to favourable procurement activities, reprioritisation of work, completing work in-house rather than through consultants or contractors, and favourable interest rates.

With a surplus, the Council can move into the next financial year on a positive footing, and the Policy Committee are due to consider how the surplus will be utilised.

The Council’s detailed draft Annual Report is currently being drafted and will be available to the public in October.