Official Information Request - 2022 Ratepayers' Report for 2021/22

1. Average residential costs

• The average residential costs of rates and other Council charges, where average residential costs = (X + Y)/Z

Where:

X is the total of all rates (general and targeted) charged by the Council to residential rating units;

Y is the total amount of user charges or levies applicable to residential rating units (for example charges relating to metered water, infrastructure contributions, refuse collection, fire protection etc.); and

Z is the number of residential rating units (however defined by the Council) within the Council’s district or city. If the Council does not have a classification for residential, please use the closest definition (such as urban).

X = 51,841,019

Y = 0

Z = 18,871

Therefore (51,841,019 + 0) / 18,871= average residential rates $2,747

2. Average non-residential costs

The average non-residential costs of rates and other Council charges, where average non-residential costs = (X + Y) / Z.

Where:

X is the total of all rates (general and targeted) charged by the Council to rating units except those defined as residential*;

Y is the total amount of user charges or levies applicable to rating units except those defined as residential* (for example, charges related to metered water, infrastructure contributions, refuse collection, fire protection etc); and

Z is the number of rating units except those defined as residential* (however defined by the Council) within the Council’s district or city. If the Council does not have a classification for non-residential, please use the closest definition (such as commercial).

Please do not include Council charges that are not part of the rates demand (for example, retail sales of Council rubbish bags).

*Please ensure that this definition matches that used to calculate average residential rates so that the respective X values of both requests add up to total rates income for the 2020/2021 Financial Year.

X = 54,386,904

Y = 0 (metered water total unavailable)

Z = 10,075

Therefore (54,386,904 + 0) / 10,075 = average non-residential rates $5,398

3. Personnel

a. The total number of staff dismissed due to poor performance.

0

b. If applicable, the FTE number of staff employed by council-controlled organisations.

175 – Infracore Ltd, Rotorua Regional Airport Ltd, RotoruaNZ (formerly Rotorua Economic Development Ltd)

c. The total number of staff including those employed by council-controlled organisations receiving remuneration in excess of $100,000.

(100,000 - $199,000)

87 – including Rotorua Lakes Council and three CCOs – Infracore Ltd, Rotorua Regional Airport Ltd, RotoruaNZ (formerly Rotorua Economic Development Ltd)

d. The total number of staff including those employed by council-controlled organisations receiving remuneration in excess of $200,00

12 – including Rotorua Lakes Council and three CCOs – Infracore Ltd, Rotorua Regional Airport Ltd, RotoruaNZ (formerly Rotorua Economic Development Ltd)

3.1 Management

• The FTE number of managers employed. Please confirm the ratio of management to staff.
  • FTEs – 24Ratio of management to staff = 7.62%
• The average and median salary of a manager.
  • Average - $199,721 Median - $188,467

Note: Managers have been identified as tiers 1-3 and who have staff reporting to them.

3.2 Communications

1. The FTE number of communications and marketing staff employed. FTEs - 7.8
2. The average and median salary of communications and marketing staff. Average - $79,558 Median - $85,470
3. Total expenditure on communications and marketing. Salaries - $556,905 ** Some of the roles were vacant during 2021/2022 – figures have been pro-rated.

3.3 Consultants and contractors

1. Total expenditure on consultants and contractors. $37,733,126
2. Total number of consultants and contractors paid. 5,457

3.4 Core Services

1. The FTE number of staff employed to work on the delivery and/or maintenance of infrastructure. FTEs – 50.03
2. The FTE number of staff employed to provide regulatory functions. FTEs – 50.8
3. The FTE number of staff employed in customer-facing roles. FTEs – 31.78

4. Audit and Risk Oversight

• How many members are on the Council’s Audit and Risk Committee (or equivalent)? 7
• Does the Council have independent members on the Committee? Yes
• Is the Chair of the Committee an independent member? Yes
• Does the Council have a lawyer (with a current practising certificate) on the Committee? No
• Does the Council have an accountant (with a current practising certificate) on the Committee? No
• Does the Council have a code of conduct requiring political neutrality from Council staff? Yes

5. Payments to third parties

1. The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to any Chamber of Commerce, including GST. $32,522 – including Rotorua Lakes Council and three CCOs – Infracore Ltd, Rotorua Regional Airport Ltd, RotoruaNZ (formerly Rotorua Economic Development Ltd)
2. The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), including GST. $100,724 – Rotorua Lakes Council only – not applicable for CCOs
3. The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to the New Zealand Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM), including GST. $28,063 – Rotorua Lakes Council only – not applicable for CCOs