Annual Plan Information Document Released

Ōpōtiki District Council has released an information document on the 2025-2026 Annual Plan: Our Plan in Action. Annual plans allow Council to set their direction for the coming year and outlines key projects and priorities, and what this will mean for your rates.

Ōpōtiki District Council, Strategy and Development Group Manager, Antionette Campbell said this year council is not seeking feedback on the Annual Plan because it aligns so closely with the recently adopted 2024-2034 Long Term Plan.

"Because there are no material changes between the recently adopted Long-Term Plan and this year’s Annual Plan, we do not need to run a special consultative process or produce a draft Annual Plan both of which can be costly. This provides cost savings for our ratepayers which is great news.

“While we are not seeking formal submissions and feedback this year, we are always keen to engage with our community on council’s current priorities and projects.

There is a lot happening that we would like our communities feedback on, which is why we have a Connect with Council event on the 7th May at Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi and the 8th May at the Te Kaha RSA. At these events you can drop-in to a morning or afternoon session and have a chat with council staff on any range of projects or priorities like Local Water Done Well, our Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and rates rebates information including how to apply.”

Ms Campbell is particularly keen for people to come along and find out more about what’s in the Annual Plan.

“Come for a kōrero. We’ll have copies of the Annual Plan Information Document – Our Plan in Action for anyone who’s keen to know more. Those who read our Long-Term Plan Consultation Document in November last year, will recall the proposed rates rise for this year was projected to be 10.5%. The good news is that the proposed increase is a whole percentage lower at 9.5%.”

The 2025-2026 Annual Plan will be adopted by 30 June 2025 and become operative from 1 July 2025.

A quick view of Ōpōtiki District Council 2025-2026 Annual Plan prospective numbers:

• $23.4 million - Debt – An increase of $1 million from LTP forecast.
• $22.7 million - Operating Funding - similar to $22.9 million as forecast in the LTP.
• $8.3 million - Capital expenditure – lower than the $8.8 million budgeted in the LTP.
• $28.2 million - Operating expenditure – on par with the $28.4 million forecast in the LTP.
• 9.5% - Rates increase – 1% down from the 10.5% proposed in the LTP.

You can read the full Information Document here