Completion of key projects highlighted in Annual Report
The South Taranaki District Council (STDC) received an unmodified (‘clean’) audit opinion for its 2024 – 2025 Annual Report which was adopted at an extraordinary meeting on Friday 31 October. Council chief executive Fiona Aitken says the Report, audited by Audit NZ, highlighted the completion of several key projects and strong progress made on others.
“Construction of Te Ramanui o Ruapūtahanga, the District’s new library, art gallery and isite information centre, was completed and officially opened on 25 November 2024. Public reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, and the facility has become a vibrant focal point for Hāwera town centre and the wider District,” says Aitken.
“Good progress continued at the South Taranaki Business Park, with the installation of three waters infrastructure, electricity undergrounding and gas main completed. Roading upgrades and extensions on Fitzgerald Road, Houston Road and Kerry Road will be complete in November 2025.
Design and construction of the Waverley, Eltham, Ōpunakē, Pātea and Manaia town centre revitalisation projects also continued during the year with the site of Opunake’s green space decided, work completed on the restoration of part of the old ‘Wool Wharf’ in Pātea to create a fishing and viewing jetty and planning well advanced for Eltham’s Stark Park.”
Aitken says as part of the Government’s Local Water Done Well programme, council consulted with the community on the future delivery of water services. “Thorough public consultation was held in May 2025 with two options presented: a regional (Taranaki) water services entity or a South Taranaki District Council inhouse business unit. Over 90% of submitters supported an in-house delivery model, which Council approved in July 2025.
The rollout of the new waste collection service, including fortnightly general waste and recycling alongside weekly food scrap collection, marked a significant step in reducing landfill volumes and supporting Council’s waste minimisation goals,” she says.
Overall, the Council posted a $4.5 million deficit, however this was largely just a ‘paper’ loss mainly due to a loss on disposal of water assets and a $3.5 million loss on derivatives – a non-cash accounting adjustment with no impact on rates.
Following a 3-yearly revaluation Council’s total asset value increased by $146 million and the Council’s Long Term Investment Fund performed better than budgeted. After allowing for the withdrawal of the annual rates subsidy, the fund finished the year at $147.4 million.
The Annual Report also noted that satisfaction with Council services remained high with 83% of residents happy with the overall service the Council provides. The services that had the lowest satisfaction rates were the condition of roads and animal management.
A full version of the Council’s 2024/25 Annual Report will be available on the Council’s website at the end of November at www.southtaranaki.com
