Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) staff say the council has received a “clean audit” in its 2025 annual report.

The annual report, audited by Deloitte, reviewed QLDC’s performance - both financially and in delivery of projects and service - over the past financial year.

Councillors adopted the annual report yesterday (Thursday October 9) during their last meeting before the local body elections.

QLDC finance and risk general manager Katherine Harbrow said the operating surplus for the council was “pretty much bang on budget”.

The council recorded an operating surplus of $53.6M for the year, compared to a budgeted operating surplus of $55.8M.

Its total revenue of $323.6M was above budget by 3.1 percent, or $9.6M, and its actual operating expenditure was $271.1M (above budget by 4.2 percent or $11.1M).

“A wide range of non-financial goals were also achieved,” Katherine said.

Locally, they included the adoption of the Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan, the completion of the fifth stage of the Lakefront Development Plan and the agreement to earmark 20ha off Ballantyne Road for sports fields.

District-wide achievements included the council, as part of ‘Otago Central Lakes’, becoming one of first three regions approved to go into negotiations for a ‘Regional Deal’, and the adoption of the Climate and Biodiversity Plan and the Economic Diversification Plan.

KPIs around complaint resolution times, building consent processing times and others were achieved, Katherine said.

QLDC corporate services general manager Meghan Miller said there were two “minor matters” noted by auditors - the first relating to the yet-to-be-approved Local Water Done Well plan, and the second a “technical matter” involving Queenstown Airport Corporation.

She noted QLDC is accountable to the Office of the Auditor-General, which appoints the auditors.

“It’s not a light touch – the auditors are with us for four weeks,” she said, thanking staff for their work on the report.

“It’s a big piece of work for us, and we’re very pleased with the process it has been through.”

Read the annual report here (item one, attachment A).

PHOTO: Wānaka App