2018/19 at a glance

Insights into local government: 2019
Image of calculator. Main financial results of all councils
Total revenue Total operating expenditure Total assets Total liabilities
$13.5 billion

$6.3 billion from rates		 $12.5 billion $156 billion

$137 billion is property, plant, and equipment		 $24.4 billion

$17.1 billion is council debt
Image of spending on assets. Spending on assets of all councils
Total capital expenditure was $4.66 billion
Overall, councils spent

82%

of their capital expenditure budgets		 40 councils spent less than

80%

of their capital expenditure budgets		 Renewal expenditure
was

79%

of the amount of depreciation recognised		 High-growth councils achieved

64%

of their demand-related capital expenditure budgets
Image of checklist. Sector results and activities
Audit and risk committees Climate-related actions
people.jpg76 councils have an audit and risk committee.

67 have independent committee members or chairpersons.

42 councils have independent chairpersons.		 globe.jpgClimate-related actions

16 councils declared climate emergencies in the 2019 calendar year.

Some are putting new governance arrangements in place to consider climate-related actions.
Building and resource consents

Image of buildings.

34,754 new dwellings consented in the year ended 30 June 2019

How did councils perform against the 20-day timeliness requirements for consents?

42 of 67 councils reported 95% compliance, or better, in
processing building consent applications.

41 of 67 councils reported 95% compliance, or better, in
processing non-notified resource consent applications.
74 councils

adopted their annual report by the statutory deadline.

Three councils that missed the deadline adopted by the end of November 2019, and one council adopted by the end of December 2019.

65 councils

had clear audit opinions, which meant that there was positive assurance over their financial and non-financial performance. Thirteen councils had modified audit opinions, which meant there were matters of concern or information we highlighted.
Image of Council.