However, the report is a consolidation of the accounts of Waitaki District Health Services Ltd (Oamaru Hospital), the Waitaki District Health Services Trust and the Observatory Village Charitable Trust Group, and the financial results are not broken down for each arm of the operation. This is due to a 2019 ruling by the Auditor-general for Waitaki District Health Services, a council-controlled organisation, to include the operations of the Observatory Retirement Village in its annual reporting. After last week’s council meeting, Waitaki District Health Services chairman Mark Rogers confirmed Oamaru Hospital recorded a net overall deficit of $1,071,209. In the interests of transparency, Cr Colin Wollstein requested a breakdown of the group’s financial results be made available to the council, so councillors could see where costs had arisen. At this time, we just can’t see it.’’Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said the Auditor-general’s ruling had been ‘‘unexpected and unfortunate’’.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 14, 2021 19:18 UTC