Outstanding arrears reduced

The outstanding arrears for rate payments in the Queenstown Lakes District has been reduced from $2.52 million to $588,000 during the past nine months.

Those rates arrears are all outstanding debts from before July 1, 2009.

For the current year, the first three instalments had a value of $38.78 million, of which 95% has been paid and $1.89 million remains to be paid for this year, along with penalties to a value of $413,269. This brings the total amount owed to the council by the ratepayers to $2.90 million.

QLDC finance manager Stewart Burns said the $1.93 million reduction in the old arrears was due to a "fantastic" result by the staff in his department.

"The team has achieved a top result. They did so by ... [making] arrangements with the ratepayers as early as possible," Mr Burns said.