The Waitaki District Council is expecting a $1.5 million surplus in the financial year ended June 30.
In its draft annual report, to be tabled tomorrow, assets group manager Neil Jorgensen, who was acting chief executive before the arrival of chief executive Fergus Power, said the council ended the year "in a strong financial position''.
The draft report lists the council surplus at $1,531,000, an increase from last year when it reported a surplus of $1,320,000.
The council collected less money in rates compared with last year.
It collected $30,303,000 in rates in the 2016-17 year and $30,375,000 in 2015-16.
Mr Jorgensen lists investment in the Observatory Hill retirement village and the expansion of the North Otago Irrigation Company scheme among the highlights for economic development the council has facilitated.
The draft report states the North Otago Irrigation Company added about 270 jobs to the district and $48 million to the economy each year.
The 162-page report states 94% of requests for service on the council's roads were responded to within given timeframes, reaching its target of 90%; 7.1% of roads were resealed, reaching the target of 7%.
The council did not reach its targets for removing recyclables, glass or greenwaste from the waste stream. The had council set a target of removing 2500 tonnes of recyclables and removed 2144 tonnes.
It set 2000 tonnes as a target for greenwaste to be removed from the waste stream and achieved 186 tonnes. And it set 450 tonnes as a target for glass and removed 436 tonnes from the waste stream.
The council's council-controlled organisations all reported good years: Omarama Airfield estimated 1500 visitors used local amenities, and it employed 20 people at the airfield during the season; Tourism Waitaki reported a 17% increase in international visitors, despite a 4% reduction overall, and reported it increased Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony trade-related ticket sales by 4%; Waitaki District Health Services Ltd hit all its targets; and Whitestone Contracting lessened its reliance on the council, earning 84% of its revenue from customers other than the council.
It increased the number of larger clients and exceeded its target 7% return on investment, achieving a return of 8.18%.
