Operating deficit improves for local authorities

Operating deficit improves for local authorities

16 September 2014

Local authorities had an operating deficit in the June 2014 quarter, but the deficit has improved since the previous quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. Expenditure exceeded income by $50.6 million (after adjusting for seasonal effects).

“Councils' income rose this quarter, however expenditure remained higher than income,” local government statistics manager Gary Dunnet said.

Operating income from core services for the June 2014 quarter was just under $2.1 billion, up 6.1 percent from the March 2014 quarter. Operating expenditure on core services also rose, to just over $2.1 billion (up 0.9 percent).

Investment income, made up of dividend and interest income, drove the rise in operating income. Dividends rose $155.4 million from the March 2014 quarter, and interest income rose $5.6 million in the same period. Rates were down $25.1 million in the June quarter.

Operating expenditure increased, mainly due to employee costs (up $17.9 million) and depreciation (up $10.9 million). Offsetting the increases was a fall in purchases and other operating expenditure, down $17.4 million.

Find more information on local authorities’ financial statistics (including information on individual councils) in Local Authority Financial Statistics: Year ended June 2013. This was released on 23 July 2014 alongside Government Finance Statistics (Local Government): Year ended June 2013.

For more information about these statistics:
• Visit Local Authority Statistics: June 2014 quarter – tables

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