Council books look good

Ruapehu Bulletin, 11 August 1992, Page 7

Council books look good

Ruapehu District Council is in a very sound financial position, council general manager Cliff Houston told councillors at their meeting last Friday. In presenting an operating statement and report on the year to 30 June 1992, he said the council's expenditure was well contained and its income about onbudget. One area that was no-

ticeably over-budget was 'democracy' - the cost of councillors, ward committees and community boards, though the budget for ward and board members was un-der-spent by $44,126. The total expenditure on the district's elected representatives, including the overhead costs of providing back-up services for them, was $565,416, up by $126,116 on budget. Mr Houston said the difference was due to the allocation of more overhead costs than first envisaged. The mayor's office budget was overspent by $39,121, council member budget was over by $54,391, miscellaneous other activities was over by $18,593 (from $7100 budgeted) and democracy overheads were put down as up $58,138 on a budget of $129,200, Several areas were un-der-spent. The cost of the marketing manager was $50,000 less than budgeted due to him tak-

ing up his position in May 1992. Subsidised roading an special purpose highways expenditure was down due to a reduced level of overheads; capital works were un-der-spent because work at Railway Row in Ohakune was not yet charged, and street lighting in Ohakune was subsidisable from Transit New Zealand. Stormwater works at Carter's Terrace in Ohakune cost less than budget; the Ohakune sewerage system costs were under-budget due to few problems; and the capital expenditure for the Raetihi sewerage system did not proceed because the proposed meat-processing plant has not occurred. Over-expenditure in Waiouru was due to problems with the town's main sewerage pump station, which has cost around $5000 to fix when blockages have occurred. Ohakune's water reticulation system budget was overspent due to 'additional repairs required for reasons previ-

ously advised to Council'. The council's bank balance stood at $2,397,474 as at 30 June 1992.