Council adopts Annual Report 2024/2025
Invercargill City Councillors have adopted the Annual Report 2024/2025, with significant progress across key project milestones, the largest-ever capital delivery programme, and a strong financial performance among the highlights.
The report was adopted by elected members at a Council meeting on Tuesday.
Mayor Tom Campbell said the financial year had seen significant milestones achieved – including continued progress in the development of Te Unua Museum of Southland, the renewal of the Surrey Park Grandstand, the opening of Te Wahi Tākaro o Motupōhue Bluff Adventure Park, and the groundwork laid for retaining three waters services in-house.
“The 2024/2025 financial year saw record capital investment by Council into our community, as we worked to leave the city in good order for the next generation – keeping the wheels turning, investing into our future, and maintaining strong financial discipline,” he said.
The report also noted Council had maintained its AA+ Fitch credit rating, which reflected a low cost of debt and effective financial strategy, he said.
“The past financial year was not without its challenges, with high local government inflation and ongoing regulatory change adding to cost pressures. But we’ve balanced progress with prudence, and that’s something to be proud of. It’s critical that Council continues to ensure it makes sound decisions to help our community thrive going forward.”
Chief Executive Michael Day said Council’s achievements demonstrated the momentum it continued to build.
Council had also achieved 71 percent of its service level targets – a strong performance, given the complexity and volume of work that had been undertaken, he said.
“Our goal is to be a performance-based organisation that’s efficient and effective, and responsive to our community’s needs. We’ve made significant progress already, with new systems and processes in place, and a clear focus on continuous improvement underpinning everything we do,” Day said.
One of the major milestones looming on the horizon included implementing Council’s new water services delivery plan, and the need to ensure a smooth transition to operating the standalone service for drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater that met both legislative requirements and community needs, he said.
“It’s an incredibly complex body of work, and the mahi has only just begun. Next year is about delivery – finishing what we’ve started, and continuing to build a city we can all be proud of.”
Additional items discussed at Tuesday’s meeting included the final plan for the Local Government Commission’s Final Plan for Southland Reorganisation Investigation, with Councillors agreeing to proceed with the investigation as proposed, as well as proposed remuneration for elected members and mana whenua representatives.
