The Otago Regional Council has reported a $7.5 million operating surplus for the year, double its budgeted surplus and more than three times the previous year's $2.5 million result.
At a meeting of the full council yesterday, councillors adopted the report with acting chairman Stephen Woodhead commenting it had been a "very busy, very successful" year, with work in areas of water, air and public transport, as well as decisions on the Awatea St stadium project and new office block.
The unbudgeted surplus was the result of about $1.2 million more being received in fees and charges, primarily from regional services (the council's pest management arm), $1 million in additional interest income and $1.2 million in project underexpenditure.
Of the $3.75 budgeted surplus, $2.5 million was a dividend for the new building, $410,000 gained on council investments and $250,000 in interest income from dedicated reserves.
The council underspent in its water activities by $266,000, its land budget by $228,000, the environmental enhancement project by $144,000 and resource consent processing by $255,000, due to a decline in applica-tions.
The Leith Lindsay Flood Protection Scheme budget was also underspent by $1.2 million, due to delays as the consents went through the Environment Court.
However, it overspent on its regional plan air strategy and implementation by about $460,000, as a higher level of consultation was needed and the plan change was more difficult than expected.
Staff numbers increased from 135 to 141, seven of whom were paid more than $100,000.
Chief executive Graeme Martin received a 7.8% increase in salary from last year's $205,000 to $222,000.
Nine councillors received payments of between $23,541 and $41,998, with chairman Stephen Cairns receiving $113,480 and deputy Cr Woodhead $46,685.
