Rotorua Airport on target for budget surplus

Rotorua Airport is on track to make a budget surplus this financial year. Photo/File

All three council-controlled organisations are on track to hit budgets or make budget surpluses this year, district councillors have heard.

Rotorua Lakes Council was updated on the financial performance of its three council-controlled organisations at a meeting of its Operations and Monitoring Committee today.

Rotorua Airport chief executive Mark Gibbs said that while total aircraft movements were down 3 per cent on the same time last year the airport's net surplus was $544,000 versus a budgeted $100,000 surplus.

He said passenger numbers were also up 6 per cent on the same time last year with the Christchurch and Auckland routes showing strong performance with larger planes servicing those routes.

Chief executive of the council's works department Infracore - the former Castlecorp - Tim Hammond also reported the company had made a quick and efficient re-branding and was on target to deliver a $320,000 profit by the end of the financial year.

Mr Hammond said Infracore had also received glowing reports on its work renewing water mains for the Tauranga City Council and was hoping to secure further contracts with Rotorua's larger neighbour, and was also in discussions with a "leading New Zealand energy company" and the South Waikato District Council.

Rotorua Economic Development chief executive Michelle Templer said while the organisation was tracking under budget earlier in the year, it was also on track to hit its budgets.

She said a net surplus of $244,000 for the 10 months to April 30 had been recorded, $78,000 higher than budget, and forecasts showed they were on track for a balanced budget by year's end.