It wasn’t quite the AC/DC classic hit ‘Back in Black’ being blasted out of the Kiama Council chambers at the November ordinary meeting, but better news from the NSW Audit Office to the Kiama LGA.

NSW Audit Office Director Michael Kharzoo and Associate Director Mubashir Hassan provided an extensive overview to the meeting, sharing that Council is stepping out of the red.

“You’ll see that there’s a $700,000 deficit in the current year which is a $2 million improvement from the prior year,” Kharzoo said.

“Overall, the cash flows were negative $1.1 million so it’s only a small cash out this year.”

Kiama Council CEO Jane Stroud told The Bugle that while Council is not quite out of the woods yet with 12 months left to complete its Performance Improvement Order, this audit result demonstrates the sacrifice and resilience.

“I said to the whole management team that this is going to be by far and away the hardest year because business efficiencies and service reviews will only yield so much savings,” Stroud said.

“We have worked hard.”

Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald said that the audit provided “really positive news for Council”.

“Congratulations to the administrative side, the CEO, the finance department, everyone that’s been involved in that,” Cr McDonald said.

“They’ve worked very closely with the Audit, Risk and Investment Committee and with the Auditor-General’s Office to ensure that those reports are as they should be in accordance with the Local Government Act.

“Underneath our performance improvement order, we’re heading towards that balance neutral so [that] by 2026-27 we have to have a balanced budget, and this really gives us a good oversight and view as to how we are tracking with that.”

After the external audit was handed down, Stroud told the Council meeting of the hurdles they have had to overcome.

“It is not that long ago in 2021-22 when we [Kiama Council] had a management letter that had 47 management issues and items,” Stroud said.

“This year, we are down to four as well as having clean and unqualified audit opinions for the second year in a row and meeting all our statutory deadlines.

“Particularly when you consider the year that was last year and what a significant change in the organisation’s history and composition of its business.”

The Bugle did ask if there would be an early Christmas present for the Kiama LGA, and sadly the Kiama CEO would not commit to taking up Santa Claus duties to provide any extra presents for the LGA in the form of a New Year’s Eve celebration.

“We’ve got to stick to the budget. As I often say to my team, the budget is not a guide, we have got to make sure that we spend every penny wisely,” Stroud said.