Buller District Council considers draft budget for Annual Plan 2026/27
Buller District Council (BDC) held its first public Annual Plan 2026/27 workshop on Wednesday as it continues to develop a draft budget for the Annual Plan 2026/27.
The draft budget currently proposes an average rates increase of 15.6% for the coming financial year (1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027), compared to the forecasted 9% increase in the 2025-2034 Long-Term Plan (LTP).
Key drivers behind this are a 37% increase in energy costs, 19% increase in staffing costs, 10% increase in repair costs, and 28% increase in software maintenance. Forecasted operational expenditure has increased by $1.27 m overall.
While staff numbers have increased, consulting costs are forecast to decrease by $182,226 for the next financial year. Part of the increase in staffing costs was due to an error in the cost calculation used for the LTP.
Group Manager Corporate Services Lesley Crichton says: “Council staff have rigorously reviewed the budget and examined each area for potential cost savings. Since there were errors in previous budget calculations, we have gone right back to the base figures to present correct estimates for the coming financial year.”
Debt is expected to be around $48 m compared to $50 m estimated in the LTP.
Ms Crichton outlines: “Staff have done a lot of work to reduce the budget and have presented options for areas where expenses could potentially be reduced further to councillors for discussion.
“We are continuing to work through multiple options of how we can reduce the rates further, and staff will continue to see what further reductions can be made.”
Councillors discussed other options for increasing council revenue and reducing expenses in the future to keep rates increase down. Councillors requested that staff present a way forward to keep the rates increase to the predicted 9% increase in the 2025-2034 Long-Term Plan (LTP).
Council will come together mid-March to further discuss the draft budget and next steps.
A key issue, open to community feedback, will be whether the council should co-fund $3.49 m for the integration of Westport’s stormwater system into the flood protection currently being constructed by the West Coast Regional Council. The draft rates increase and debt level does not include the $3.49 m in co-funding.
This Annual Plan forms year two of the 2025-2034 Long-Term Plan (LTP). The Annual Plan sets out council’s priorities for the financial year 2026/27.
Consultation on the Annual Plan 2026/27 opens on Monday, 30 March 2026 and will close on Thursday, 30 April 2026.
-ENDS-
For further information, please contact:
Community Engagement Team
Buller District Council
Media.Enquiries@bdc.govt.nz