South Taranaki has twice the staff per ratepayer than New Plymouth District Council
22 AUGUST 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
South Taranaki District Council charges the lowest average residential rates in Taranaki, according to Ratepayers’ Report, the Taxpayers’ Union’s local government league tables, released today at www.ratepayersreport.nz. However, the favourable comparisons to neighbouring authorities stop there, with South Taranaki District Council generally coming out worse off when assessed on other metrics contained in the league tables.

Jordan Williams, Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union, says, “South Taranaki District Council’s rankings in the league tables suggest that a cheaper rates bill doesn’t always equate to an efficient council. It has the highest ratio of staff to ratepayers and the highest staff costs per ratepayer in Taranaki.”

“With debt per ratepayer more than double the national average for provincial councils, South Taranaki District ratepayers may want to question the financial management of their elected officials.”
“Stratford District Councillors are doing much better. Stratford has fewer liabilities and more assets per ratepayer than any other council in Taranaki.”

Ratepayers’ Report highlights New Plymouth District Council as having the lowest operating expenses and personnel (staff) costs per ratepayer in Taranaki.

“New Plymouth District Council employs one member of staff for every 58 ratepayers, in line with the national average. This is the most favourable ratio of staff to ratepayers in Taranaki, costing ratepayers significantly less than in neighbouring South Taranaki District where one member of staff is employed for every 32 ratepayers.”

“The question many in the community may ask is why South Taranaki needs in effect twice the number of people to do the same job.”

"Ratepayers' Report is available online and free of charge so all Taranaki ratepayers can judge for themselves the performance of their local town hall."

Ratepayers’ Report available at www.ratepayersreport.nz

Note: All references to rates in the above comments, refer to residential rates.

Other findings relating to Taranaki:
• South Taranaki District Council charges the lowest average residential rates in Taranaki, at $2,084. Stratford District Council charges the highest average residential rates in Taranaki, at $2,131, with New Plymouth District Council charging $2,095.
• South Taranaki District Council has the seventh highest ratio of staff to ratepayers in New Zealand, with one staff member for every 32 residential ratepayers.
• Stratford District Council has the most assets per residential ratepayer in Taranaki, at $135,915.
• Stratford District Council has fewer liabilities than any other Taranaki council, with only $5,400 per ratepayer. South Taranaki District Council has more than three times this amount - $18,911.
• Personnel costs are the lowest in the region at New Plymouth District Council, at $1,213 per ratepayer. The highest personnel costs in the region are at South Taranaki District Council, costing ratepayers $1,610 each.
• Councils considered for this comparison are New Plymouth District Council, Stratford District Council, and South Taranaki District Council.

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