Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) record keeping of stopbanks and river berms inspections has come under scrutiny in the regional council’s annual report.

Audit NZ flagged concerns with the 2024/25 report because it was unclear when annual inspections of stopbanks, river berms and fairways on six major flood protection and control schemes took place.

‘‘We were able to see something happened, but we couldn’t see when it happened,’’ Audit NZ audit director Chantelle Gernetzky said.

ECan was given ‘‘a qualified opinion’’ on the 2024/25 report due to these concerns.

Council performance manager Carmen Marsh said the reporting has been corrected in the Geographic Information System (GIS), which manages data, for 2025/26.

‘‘Staff are confident the work was completed and we able to give an assurance it has been resolved, but we can’t give a retrospective assurance, so it is a qualified audit.’’

The annual report was adopted at a council meeting on Wednesday, November 19.

Despite the recording issue, Gernetzky said she was satisfied with the council’s financial performance.

The council ended the year with an operating surplus of $12.4m, compared to a budgeted deficit of $13.1m.

Council finance and assurance general manager Grant McKenna said the unexpected surplus was due lower interest rates, staff vacancies, an underspend in public transport and deferred projects.

The disputed ownership of the Rakaia River bed has finally been resolved, with the ownership now transferred from the council to Land Information New Zealand.

‘‘It has been a long-standing issue where landownership needed to be resolved,’’ McKenna said.

‘‘So we need to remove it from our books.’’

It means the council will no longer receive rental income from the leasing of the land.

Council chairperson Deon Swiggs questioned the timing of the annual report being presented to council for adoption after the recent local government election.

‘‘I wonder whether this could be timed so it won’t end up being a cross-over with the new council after the next election (in 2028).’’

Gernetzky said ECan staff were ‘‘generally well prepared’’.

‘‘We have been working closely with [council] management, but we know early in the year it would be delayed.’’

By David Hill