Regional Council posts $10m deficit

Also, the Waiōeka wetland project worth $2 5 million was discontinued, and the funding was proposed to be reallocated across other climate readiness projects

By Alisha Evans Local Democracy Reporter alisha@thesun co nz

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has ended the year with a $10 million operating deficit

The council’s annual report for the year ended 30th June 2022 shows the operating deficit was $3 9m higher than the budgeted deficit of $6 1 million

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) adopted the audited annual report at a meeting on Thursday 22nd December

Chief Financial Officer Kumaren Perumal told the meeting the council delivered its work programme with an operating expenditure of $158 4 million compared to a budget of $163 7 million, which is $5 3 million lower than budget

Perumal said BOPRC achieved a total operating revenue of $148 4 million against a budget of $157 7 million

“That’s resulted in a deficit that’s higher than budget ”

The council also delivered a capital work programme of $18 5 million, he said

According to Perumal’s written report, the capital works budget was $34 6 million, so the council spent $9 3 million less than what was budgeted

This was partly due to the impacts of Covid-19 and material shortages, the report said