Chamber finances fragile but improving

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darrin Walsh. Photo/File

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darrin Walsh told last night's annual general meeting the organisation's finances were still "fragile" but that it was now seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

The financial position at the end of the most recent financial year was a deficit of $7000, compared with losses of $72,000 in 2014 and $42,000 last year, he said.

"It's certainly a big improvement on where it's been," he said. "We are projecting a surplus next year and operating to budget at the moment, so it's looking pretty good."

Membership currently stands at 508 with about 50 losses over the past year, he said.

However, not all of the reduced numbers reflected resigned memberships, as the chamber had been addressing past database inconsistencies where some members had been entered twice.

"We've got strategies in place to grow membership and the situation is reasonably healthy. My goal is for us to reach 600 by next year."

There were about 60 memberships currently in the pipeline with 25 ready to be processed, he said.

This year's AGM - attended by 28 members - was the second under the new constitution, with the president elected by the new board two weeks after it has been elected. There were no surprises and no need for the new board slate to be put to the vote, as the eight elected board positions were filled by current elected or co-opted board members.

Richard Fullard, general manager of Osbornes Funeral Directors, resigned because of work commitments and was thanked for his valuable service.

Dr Margaret Noble is expected to move to a co-opted position as the status of her role at Waiariki Institute of Technology has yet to be clarified, pending the conclusion of the merger with Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.

Previously co-opted board members Aladina Harunani and Darmen Prasard are now elected members. Also re-elected were board members Bryce Heard, Allison Lawton, Gavin Long, Colin McPhee, Geoff Rice and current president John McRae. Westpac, through its sponsorship arrangement with the board, will also have a co-opted member on the board.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay and mayor Steve Chadwick both addressed infrastructure development and the need to increase land availability for housing development during their addresses to the AGM.

"The chamber has been very public in saying the growth is great but it needs to be sustainable with some more focus on housing and roading," said Mr Walsh.

"To keep growth moving we need to see more land released, so it was pleasing to hear the mayor say that there will be some new parcels of land coming onto the market. And when you get growth and development, the government will come along with funding for
roading."