Funds Carried into Kawerau’s Next Financial Year
4 September 2015
EXPENDITURE of $1.8 million has been carried over to Kawerau District Council’s 2015-16 financial year.
Finance and corporate services manager Peter Christophers said a small number of the council’s “must-do” projects from the last financial year were not completed by the year’s end, June 30, 2015.
During a council meeting on August 25 he said $600,000 was budgeted for the Firmin Field clubrooms, but only $92,784 was spent by at the end of June and the remaining $507,200 was carried over.
Only $6685 was spent on a project to develop the 16-18 Jellicoe Court building into a museum and archival storage and workshop space; the remaining $343,400 was also carried over.
After the building of the new swimming pool changing room was delayed to obtain resource consent $654,900 was carried forward.
A total of $316,800 budgeted for renewal works was carried forward. These projects include, security camera upgrades, new library shelves, and street lighting renewals.
Major maintenance of other council buildings, worth $33,600, was also transferred to the 2015-16 year.
All councillors, except deputy mayor Alistair Holmes, voted in favour of carrying forward the money.
He said the $1.8 million carried into 2015-16 was a “massive” percentage of the organisation’s budget.
He said much of the funding was accumulated in depreciation reserves from ratepayer input.
Chief executive Russel George said all of the projects with carry forward funding would be completed in the 2015-16 financial year.
During the same meeting the organisation’s financial performance for 2014-15 was reviewed.
Democracy finished the year over budget after an extra $13,000 was paid to consultants and $5000 for travel and training costs.
Economic development exceeded its budget by $147,000 due to the costs of unbudgeted events, youth and community projects.
However, these were all offset by additional government and community grants.
Transport management and storm water costs finished the year with a $91,700 surplus due to reduced maintenance, and lower costs.
Water supply costs were also down from the budgeted amount, saving $51,600 through insurance savings and spending less on chemicals and power costs.
Only $8700 of the budgeted $69,900 for 2014-15 was spent renewing the wastewater pipework after it was discovered in a better condition than expected.
This was part of the total carryover costs.
Refuse disposal costs also finished the year lower than budgeted due to reduced volumes being taken to the transfer station.
Swimming pool operating costs were $70,000 below budget while council hall costs were $48,400 below.
Parks and reserves recorded a saving of $33,800.
Source: Whakatane Beacon