A search of the companies office register reveals Councils’ business interests which are usually infrastructure or core services or for operation of Council owned assets.

Councils such as Auckland City Council, Waikato District Council, Tauranga City Council, Taupo District Council show entities set up for Council owned assets with the only shareholder being 100% – the Council. Alternatively, there are regional or government entities where the only other shareholders, are only other Councils.

Not one other Council has private individuals or private companies as a shareholder with any of its entities.

Rotorua District Council is the only Council to use ratepayer’s funds to divert profits to private individuals and

private companies as shareholders, for an event outside infrastructure, core services, or assets it doesn’t own.

A partnership is a formal arrangement by two or more parties to manage and operate a business and share its profits. There are several types of partnership arrangements. In particular, in a partnership business, all partners share liabilities and profits equally, while in others, partners have limited liability In. However, with Rotorua District Council’s partnerships, ratepayers receive no dividends.

Could Rotorua District Council’s private business set ups be deemed inappropriate or misappropriation of ratepayers’ funds when comparing how other Council’s operate and conduct business?

Writer wishes to remain unknown