Draft annual report shows successful service delivery

WCRC’s report card for the 2025-26 financial year shows it has successfully delivered core services for the Coast and is operating on a sound financial basis.

The draft annual report will be discussed at the Risk and Assurance Committee on 20 October before it is recommended to Council for adoption.

Chair Colin Smith says it illustrates the broad range of flood protection, environmental management and emergency preparedness services which WCRC provides every day to support West Coast communities.

"Much of our work is behind the scenes but has a direct impact on the safety, resilience and wellbeing of our communities.

"A major focus for our staff is protecting communities from natural hazards. Over the past year this has included flood protection works in the big river catchments at Franz Josef, Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport.

"During the past year we also launched a new Regional Natural Hazards Portal on our website. This gives the public easier access to flood, landslide, coastal and earthquake risk information.”

Other highlights included:

• the Hydrology team expanding its river and rainfall monitoring network; responding to 14 significant rain storms; and hosting the NZ Hydrological Society’s annual technical workshop which brought over 170 experts together on the Coast
• planting of more than 4,000 native trees at Cape Foulwind through the Catchment Management team,
• 97.6 per cent of WCRC-monitored swimming sites meeting water quality health guidelines over last summer
• publication of a comprehensive State of the Environment Report and completion of the region's first 15-year assessment of river water quality trends.
• in the regulatory area 168 resource consent applications were processed, the compliance team responded to 93 environmental incidents; and a new Total Mobility card system was rolled out making it easier for people with long- or short-term impairments or disabilities.to access transport.

Colin Smith says commercial activities continued to provide value for ratepayers with Council's investment portfolio returning 15.6%.

“However, we must also acknowledge the challenges we’ve faced, and continue to face, in delivering major infrastructure projects in a complex economic and political environment.

“We’re reporting a provisional accounting surplus of $1.15 million for the 2025/26 financial year. That result is below the budgeted surplus of $13.48 million, mainly because of delays in major infrastructure projects in Westport. This meant associated government funding was not received, or recognised, during the financial year as originally planned.”

While some major projects were delayed and factors outside Council's control affected several performance targets the report shows WCRC continuing to invest in resilient communities, a healthy environment and a strong future for the West Coast, says Colin Smith.

He thanked staff for their work on the report.

“We can have full confidence in the quality of this Annual Report presented to us. Councillors want to acknowledge the hard work done by staff in getting us to this position.”

The annual report remains draft and subject to change until adopted by Council.