Rangitikei District Council has been given a big tick in an independent assessment of local authority performance across the country.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Wanganui, while climbing the rankings, is still hamstrung by excessive debt and now shares 56th place with Kapiti Coast, Opotiki and Porirua.

Kaipara District Council, in Northland, languishes in 67th place and bottom of the "league".

Larry Mitchell, an independent local government finance and policy analyst, said in his 2012-13 local government league tables that Rangitikei had lifted from ninth place to third equal and earned a "highly commended" comment.

Out of a possible total of 50 points, Mr Mitchell gave Rangitikei 38, which is only two points behind the front-runners, Clutha and Southland.

In terms of financial sustainability, Rangitikei earned 21 points on Mr Mitchell's table, bettered only by Napier.

Rangitikei Mayor Chalky Leary said he was very pleased with the league result.

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"It's a pat on the back for our council and everyone in our council organisation," Mr Leary said.

He said the council had climbed in the tables by "sticking to our knitting".

"We don't have any frills in our operation and we've worked hard to cut out excess in any part of our operation."

He said despite that, the council had still been able to press on with some significant capital works, including the Hunterville and Taihape sewerage schemes.

"But give credit where it's due and we've got a very good team working for us.

"There's a real sense of pride in what they're doing and that's something that's really worth having," Mr Leary said.

The positive for Wanganui District Council is the fact its performance over the last year has lifted it from 67th to 56th.

Mr Mitchell said that was a "marked improvement" but the council is still dogged by huge debt ratios of $5000-$10,000 per ratepayer.

Wanganui scored 24 points out of 50. Not surprisingly, the council's financial sustainability and community affordability suffer, each scoring 12 out of 25.

Deputy Mayor Rangi Wills said everyone would like to see Wanganui higher on the league tables, but the city was hamstrung by a huge infrastructure debt, most of it attributed to the city's wastewater scheme and stormwater separation.

"Now our problem is getting on top of current problems with the treatment ponds, which we're expecting will cost us a considerable amount more," Mr Wills said.

He said council was doing its "very best" to hold expenditure.

Mr Mitchell said his table was "not a popularity contest" but said many councils had been slow or "positively resistant" to accept any meaningful measurement of their performance. He said it was not unusual for many councils to distance themselves from his findings if their scores were unimpressive.

He said the 2002 Local Government Amendment Act (effective from 2012) is meant to get councils to modify their behaviour to ensure they deliver services in the most cost-effective way.

Mr Mitchell's tables are calculated on such things as council debt and household incomes, the influence of audit reports, earthquake liability and the level of council funds.

He said factors affecting a poor performance include high council debt coupled with low ratepayer wealth, low levels of commercial and investment property, persistent operating deficits as well as other liabilities such as the need to address earthquake-prone buildings.

The tables have been produced for the past four years.

- WANGANUI CHRONICLE

By John Maslin

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