Regional Council delivers on significant projects
Media Release
Regional Council delivers on significant projects
10 October 2014
Bay of Plenty Regional Council focused on delivering on its major projects for the second year of its Ten Year Plan.
Presenting the Council’s Annual Report, Chairman Doug Leeder said the environment it operated in had continued to change.
“New Central Government directions on freshwater management have changed the way we manage the Bay of Plenty’s water resources. We’ve initiated new work streams to ensure we can deliver on these new requirements,” he said. Significant achievements included:
• Rotorua Lakes – all interventions for four Deed-funded lakes complete. Funding transferred into an incentives scheme to help landowners with land use change around Lake Rotorua.
• More resources for key projects – Water Allocation Plan change, nutrient discharge rules for Lake Rotorua, geothermal resources, air management and water allocation.
• Tauranga Harbour Programme – working with tangata whenua, district councils, government agencies and community organisations to deliver a co-ordinated work programme. Sixteen sub-catchment action plans are working with landowners, excluding stock from stream margins, retiring erosion-prone land, protecting important ecological sites.
• Reducing long-term flood risk across the region. Flood repair work from 2010 and 2011 flooding completed a year ahead of schedule and in budget.
• Efficiency and Effectiveness programme saved more than $500,000 through operational improvements.
• New strategies in Energy, Aquaculture, Forestry, Freight and Logistics, Rugby Sevens and Biking. Regional Maori Economic Development Strategy, He Mauri Ohooho, completed, one of three regions selected for Government’s Regional Growth Study.
• Up to $40.5 million allocated to four projects through the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
The total operating spend for Council was $85.9 million, $3.0 million less than planned. Most of the reduction was due to grants and subsidies budgeted for but not required.
“Revenue was slightly lower than budgeted, mainly because of fewer grants and subsidies. We received revenue of $79.7 million, rather than the $80 million planned for,” he said.
Mr Leeder said challenges lay ahead for several focus areas, and the operating environment continued to be challenging.
Copies of the Annual Report Summary and the full document are available online at www.boprc.govt.nz or as a hard copy by calling 0800 884 880.
Ends