BOROUGH FINANCES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 40, 15 April 1942, Page 5

BOROUGH FINANCES

TOWN CLERK'S REPORT

REVENUE rs MAINTAINED

Reviewing the past year's financial position, the town clerk at the Whakatane Borough Coun cil's April meeting last Mondlay evening, showed that there had been little or no falling off in revenue in any department. Mr Saunders regretted his inability to submit a completed statement but could supply the foillowing details covering the main headings of revenue and expenditure. When this year's estimates were adopted provision was made for some reduction in revenues, reasonably considered probable in view of the uncertain outlook at that time. However, in all departments the increased revenues of the previous year were sustained, receipts totalling £29,976, being on General Account £17,438 and on Electricity Account £12,538, payments totalled £29,523. The financial position at March 31, again is sound and quite Satisfactory. The various accounts comprising the: General Account (i.e. excluding the Electricity Account) disclose a cash credit balance of £2896, but l'rom this requires to be deducted the sum reserved for additions to the pumping plant, £1000 approximately, reducing the • figure to a working balance of £1896. Nearly Total Rate Collection Dealing firstly wi.th the General Account —Rate collections again are most satisfactory, and this year there was levied (excluding Harbour Board and Native) the -sum of £9342 —collections total £9152 or 98 per cent, leaving £190 only cf European rates outstanding at the close of the year. Revenues from fees further increased by £113 to £1314, revenue from Heavy Traffic and Drivers licenses showing an unexpected increase. The Municipal Association is closely watching- a move tO' tax heavy motor vehicles on a petrol consumption basis, and any change which would deprive the Council of heavy traffic license fees would seriously effect its revenues. Further progress payments of £500 each in respect of work done for the Housing Department oil street formation at the Ramson and Sutherland Blocks were received and a transfer of £800 (per estimates) was received, from, the Electricity Depaitraent. Expenditure on streets (maintenance and construction) drainage end general including main highways and construction at the State housing blocks, totalled £506/. The total cost of tlie work atj the Ramson Block was £1642, and at the Sutherland Block £1312. The council's proportion of E.P.S. expenditure (£144 10s Id total) amounted to £49 3s 3d, and a transfer of £400 is made to l the Water Account from the General Account to assist in building up the resorve to meet commitments for additional plant. Other items Cif expenditure as detailed in the General Account, apart from 'reflecting' the trend of increased costs, folloAV expenditure of previous years and call for no comment. Sound Water Supply Account Expenditure as set out in the Water Supply Account is higher than for several years, but witli thei assistance of the transfer from the General Account closes in credit £749, Hospital rating is greater than ever before, a position common to all hospital rating authorities and although representations have, for years past, and continue to be made to the, Government by the Municipal and Counties Associations, for an

adjustment in the incidence of hospital rating, they, to date, have not mot with success. The increase in the levy is out of proportion to the development of the Borough and the increased population of the hospital district —in 1932 the Borough levy was £31 1, 1936 3(> £318 last year £1182, with a considerable increase possible for the current year. Electrical Department Receipts in the Electricity Department show a small increase only, reflecting in total the individual reduction in the consumption of electricity occasioned by the introduction of reduced lighting. Receipts from consumers increased by £191 to £10,777. Pursuant to an authority received from the Loans Board, receipts from the sale of headworks loan assets £729, were credited to the Electricity Working Account ami applied towards reducing the liability under the £7500 loan authority. Works costing £2193 have been financed through the loan account, and by a revenue transfer it

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was J'oimd possible to clear the debit in that account. The loan auth-

ority, Inning now served its purpose in assisting the Council tci finance its way through two years of heavy capital expenditure might now be permitted to lapse and this financial transaction may be regarded as finalised. Maintenance expenditure totalled £1973 a reduction of £326 on that of the previous year, and capital expenditure of £2163 was less by £670. Hulk power cost £2632 an increase on the figure, for the previous year of £148—the other items of expenditure call for no. comment. The account closed in debit £241.