Insights into local government: 2023

Councils are facing rising inflation and interest rates, workforce shortages, and climate change. Some are still affected by recent severe weather events that caused significant damage and disruption throughout the North Island.

How councils respond to these challenges depends on what they and their communities can afford.

After the Deputy Auditor-General's overview, this report discusses in some depth: 

• the operating environment for councils;
• councils’ performance in 2021/22 and 2022/23;
• auditing councils’ greenhouse gas emissions;
• councils’ investment in infrastructure; and
• the audit reports we issued.

20 August 2024