Quarterly business reporting shows performance measures achievement

The first quarterly iteration of business reporting by the Central Otago District Council (CODC) has shown a positive trend in achieving its goals and delivering good outcomes for ratepayers.

Council has regular reporting of its key services through its annual and long-term plans.

However, quarterly business reporting has been initiated to provide the opportunity to gather relevant and meaningful data for the executive team and Council to drive discussion and monitor progress, CODC Risk and Procurement Manager Amelia Lines, said.

At the meeting last week (Wednesday 29 October 2025), the newly elected Council was taken through Quarter One (Q1) of the 2025/26 business reporting.

In Q1 (July, August, September), the results for performance measures showed a positive trend, with 77.8% of the 72 reported measures being met. Of the 16 measures that did not achieve target, 14 relate to water services, one to solid waste, and one to planning.

Link to table: Agenda of Council meeting - Wednesday, 29 October 2025

Data items show that numbers of visitors to the district’s libraries and pools are strong, with the number of pool visits in the quarter at over 31,000 and the number of library visitors in the quarter at over 44,000. CODC libraries held 174 events across the quarter, with a total of 949 attendees. Through the financial year 2024/25 there were 2,962 swim school enrolments, enabling improved water safety throughout the district.

Fast Track applications continue to be monitored.

Whilst no applications have been lodged at the time of writing, it is anticipated that CODC will receive at least one lodgement in the near future. At the time of completion of the business reporting, two items within the district were on the Schedule 2 Fast Track List, confirming their eligibility for application lodgement: Matakanui Gold Limited’s Bendigo-Ophir Gold project and NZSki Limited’s Remarkables Ski Area expansion. In the time since the report was delivered, Santana Minerals Ltd and Matakanui Gold Ltd have lodged a fast-track application in relation to the Bendigo-Ophir Gold project.

Work has been ongoing over the quarter to deliver training and workshops to staff across multiple disciplines including resilience, communication, leadership, and civil defence.

With an annual target of 15 full-time placements, the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs placements in the quarter are ahead of target, with six full-time placements and one casual placement achieved.

Planning: Whilst the performance measure for completion of resource consents has not been met, it should be noted that the result is the highest achievement in over 12 months, and the third quarter of continued improvement.

Solid waste: Whilst the solid waste to landfill performance measure has not been achieved, further analysis shows that waste to landfill per person, rather than per property, remains consistent as opposed to increasing.

Water services: Non-achievement of water performance measures continues to relate to increased legislative requirements.

Ongoing reporting will monitor and analyse trends as the year progresses, Ms Lines said.