Mayor Dan Gordon says the budget reflects a careful, prudent approach that balances affordability for households with the need to maintain services the community relies on.

“Every year we go through the budget line by line, and this year was no different,” Mayor Gordon says.

“This Annual Plan sticks closely to what we signalled in year three of our Long Term Plan. We’ve cut our cloth where we can, without compromising the services people expect, and we’ve scaled back our capital programme to a level that is realistic, achievable and, importantly, affordable.”

Within the overall figure, the general average rate increase for most ratepayers across the district is 2.7 per cent.

The Annual Plan sets out Council’s work programme and key projects for the final year of the current Long Term Plan. While no major changes are proposed, the consultation provides an opportunity to update the community on developments in the local government sector and seek feedback on key areas.

Topics open for comment include:

• Changes proposed to local government,
• Local Water Done Well update
• The capital programme proposed for 2026/27
• Rangiora Eastern Link that addresses traffic congestion through Southbrook and around Rangiora

“This is a low-key Annual Plan,” Mayor Gordon says. “It’s largely about responding to changes in the operating environment rather than introducing new initiatives. We want to keep people informed about what’s changing around us and hear their views.”

Consultation on the Annual Plan will run from 14 March to 14 April. A series of drop-in sessions will be held around the district, giving residents the chance to speak directly with Council staff and elected members. Dates and locations will be confirmed closer to the start of consultation.

Mayor Gordon also acknowledged the work of Council staff throughout the budgeting process.

“Our staff understand the pressure households are under and the expectation that we take a prudent, no-frills approach,” he says. “Preparing a budget like this is a big piece of work, and they’ve done it extremely well.”