A record amount of capital investment for the district and significant challenges from inside and outside the district were features of this year’s annual report for Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).

The annual report on the council’s organisational performance and financial results was approved by councillors at Thursday’s (December 12) full council meeting.

QLDC chief executive Mike Theelen said the report showed it had been a year of “challenges and changes”.

“It reflects that we are a very busy council investing a lot of money in the future of the district,” he said. 

This included $107M in capital investment, which Mike said was the "highest turnout of capital we’ve ever had in the district”.

QLDC was also “coping with some significant challenges along the way”, Mike said.

He highlighted local challenges like last year’s cryptosporidium outbreak at the council’s Two Mile water treatment park and “major” damage at Ben Lomond after a storm last September.

The change in government in 2023 also created a significant shift in direction (including new directions, tighter regulation, and emerging legislative changes), shaping the work programme in the first half of 2024 and putting pressure on the council.

One of the most significant changes following the election was the repeal of the former Government’s Three Waters programme.

Water investment made up a “significant portion” of QLDC’s expenditure - and contributed to record rates increases.

A range of Upper Clutha projects were also funded, with new playspaces, community venues and active travel options all completed the past year.

They included a new playspace at the Luggate Memorial Centre; Paetara Aspiring Central (a new, multi-use space for community organisations); and the fifth stage of the Schools to Pool active travel route.

A range of roading upgrades were also funded, making getting around easier.

Three new roundabouts are now operational (at Aubrey and Anderson Roads, Ballantyne and Riverbank Roads, and the Lake Hāwea dam intersection), and 9,000 metres of safety barriers, additional road signage and markings were installed on Wānaka-Mount Aspiring Road and the Cardrona Valley Road.

The annual plan “speaks to a lot of activity”, Mike said.

It also reflects “an increasingly professional performance by the organisation”, he said.

The annual report cited an operating surplus of $82.2M for the year, well above the budgeted surplus of $53.4M.

Some of the factors contributing to the “favourable” position included vested asset revenue (assets contributed to the council by property developers as part of their development work), higher-than-expected development contributions, and a larger-than-expected dividend from Queenstown Airport Corporation.

PHOTO: Wānaka App