South Taranaki has twice the staff of New Plymouth Council
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.
ends