Community invited to give feedback on Council’s Draft Annual Plan 2026/27
Buller District Council is asking the community for feedback on its Draft Annual Plan 2026/27 between Tuesday, 7 April 2026, and 4:30 pm Tuesday, 5 May 2026.
The Annual Plan is a one‑year plan, required by law, that council must prepare in the two years between Long‑Term Plans. The Draft Annual Plan 2026/27 is year two of the 2025-2034 Long-Term Plan (LTP) and outlines next year’s proposed rates, what council plans to deliver to the community, and how council intends to pay for it.
Chief Executive Officer Simon Pickford says: “The average proposed rate increase across all ratepayers – households, businesses, and rural properties – is 4.4%. This is significantly lower than the 9.05% rate increase signalled in the LTP.”
Key reasons for the significantly lower rate increase include a full budget review, cost reductions in several areas, generating additional income through the sale of property and vehicles, spending less on legal advice, reducing infrastructure repairs and maintenance spending, and moving a significant amount of consulting work in-house.
Council’s consultation document outlines significant changes to the LTP, key infrastructure initiatives, projected expenses and income, and the proposed rate increase for various property types.
Mr Pickford says: “A significant departure from the LTP 2025-2034 is that the integration of Westport’s stormwater system with the floodwalls has to be co-funded by council for the work to go ahead. A key assumption in the LTP was that the work would be funded externally in its entirety, through the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
“Council now has two options: either co-fund 40% ($3.49 m) of the costs to upgrade Westport’s stormwater network, in line with the construction of the floodwalls, or not co-fund and not upgrade the stormwater network prior to the floodwalls being constructed.”
To assist council in making this decision, the community is invited to give their feedback on these two options and any other part of our Draft Annual Plan 2026/27.
Mr Pickford highlights: “We encourage our community to have a read of the consultation document and make an informed decision. Everyone is encouraged to participate, and submitting is one of the most powerful ways to participate in local government decision-making.”
During the consultation period, people can join one of the information evenings in Westport, Karamea or Reefton, visit Let’s talk Buller, follow council’s Facebook page, or talk to a councillor for information on the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27.
If people have a question relating to the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27, they can send it to council through various channels until 19 April 2026. Council will collate these and answer them on Let’s talk Buller. If people still have a question after this date, they can email it to annualplan@bdc.govt.nz or ask through Let’s talk Buller and it will be answered directly.
Consultation on the Annual Plan 2026/27 opens on Tuesday, 7 April 2026, and will close on Tuesday, 5 May 2026. Council will listen to people who wish to speak during the hearings and then discuss the submissions on 20 May 2026.
The final Annual Plan 2026/27 will be adopted on 30 June and comes into effect on 1 July 2026.
-ENDS-
For further information, please contact:
Community Engagement Team
Buller District Council
Media.Enquiries@bdc.govt.nz
Disclaimer
The information in this media release was correct at the time of publication. Changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the information.