Accolade comes as tourism hotspot’s business community anticipates positive year ahead.

"I am resisting the urge to say ‘I told you so’,” one councillor said.

With too many unregistered dogs for door-to-door visits, the fines will be mailed.

A proposal to put sportsfields on the land sparked community backlash.

The options included either a $200,000 repair and replace or a $40,000 remove and make-do.

Mayor says current financial model is 'difficult'; no units have been added since the 80s.

It is also looking at leasing its full $25m portfolio to a community housing provider.

New rules mean the council will need to lower speed limits around schools.

A fire gutted the Golden Glow Motel's main building almost two years ago.

Tania Tapsell will visit two of Rotorua's sister cities at a cost of $10,000.

Tapsell is concerned about 14 providers she believes might be taking in tenants.

He says the culture of closed-door workshops is 'ingrained'.

"Some of them simply do not want to abide by rules," Rotorua Lakes Council says.

It went in within a week of Mary Smith sharing her story with Local Democracy Reporting.

Council seeks balance between needs of workers, and those wanting to use reserves.

Todd McClay has retained has retained his position as electorate MP for Rotorua.

He later said he conflated two incidents and believed one was serious.

Council yet to say if change will result in salary savings.

"They also felt judged by seeing protesters and their placards."

The symbol is a tree, planted 51 years ago, that a councillor says was ignored until now.

Plus: How Rotorua residents and councillors think their council is doing.

It comes as the council appoints an interim CEO while it recruits for a 'fresh start'.

Councillors have asked how the district's lakes would be protected.

Rotorua MP candidates respond to Bryce Allan's story.

Candidates were asked what their parties would do to control pests.

One teacher believes a lack of a cross-party shared vision is 'destroying our future'.

Rivals say some parties had more people in the crowd.

It was the first time all six stood together before an audience.

Ratepayers have been paying $5000 a month for city contractors to pick them up.

School speed limits have also come under fire.

Organiser says he will be running a tight ship, with no tolerance for hecklers.

Where it will be, when it will open and who will work out of it.

Rotorua Lakes Council had initially budgeted $3.4m for the project.

The new road would be used for emergency and delivery access to the 280-unit village.

'We’re at the pointy end of the stick now.'

'Are you telling me that there has been a labour shortage for over the last two years?'

The school is asking for neighbours to be excluded from proposed intensification plans.

One says she's in a 'fool if you do, fool if you don’t' insurance situation.

Land valued at $2 million could be used to help fill a sportsfield deficit instead.

If not controlled, wallabies can cause millions of dollars in damage.

It has been a long fight for those fiercely in favour of restoring it.

'The last thing I want is for this building to become a black hole of spending.'

But a National MP says the figures are wrong and it "invested significantly" in city.

Their comments are backed by a councillor who says the city is 'under siege'.

A potential plan to cover the costs has been found - but it isn't confirmed