Major Projects: Several water and roading projects are experiencing extended timeframes and increased costs. There is uncertainty whether existing budgets will remain adequate through future procurement processes.
Water Services Delivery Plan: Updates covered rates modelling, the review of water service bylaws, the Water Services Strategy for 2027, and managing the relationship between Council and the internal business unit.
Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules Peer Review: Council has strong compliance with drinking water standards for 2025/26. A few schemes did not meet or achieved only partial compliance with certain measures. Ongoing capital upgrades are expected to address these issues.
Policy Index and Legislative Reform Risk: The index shows the status and review schedule of Council policies. The Risk Report examines how national-level reforms can affect Council operations and the Long-Term Plan (LTP) 2027-37.
Debt Funding Instrument: The committee considered the Debenture Trust Deed, which provides the security framework that supports Council's participation in the Local Government Funding Agency and enables Council to access reliable, flexible, and cost-effective debt funding.
Other Audit Matters: Following the 2025 annual audit, Council has successfully implemented four recommendations from Audit NZ. Council is continuing efforts to meet other recommendations on asset management, roading valuations, drinking water safety disclosures, and authorisation of sensitive expenditure. The committee also received updates on the timing of the 2026 Annual Report Audit, as well as the terms of engagement for the audit of the LTP 2027-37 and the LTP consultation document.
For details of the reports and other matters, see the meeting agenda: waimatedc.govt.nz/agenda.
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