Draft Annual Plan 2026/27

The community was invited to provide feedback on our Draft Annual Plan 2026/27. This plan is a statutory one‑year plan and budget that we must prepare in the two years between Long‑term Plans. This plan outlines next year’s proposed rates, what we plan to deliver to our community, and how we intend to pay for it. 

The key purpose of the Annual Plan is to identify any differences between what was proposed in the Long-Term Plan 2025-2034 (LTP) and what is now planned for 2026/27.

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 to go ahead. A key assumption in the LTP was that the work would be funded solely externally 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 was invited to give their feedback on these two options. We also encouraged comments on any other part of the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27.

Our Consultation Document includes information on Westport’s stormwater integration, the two options. It also outlines key infrastructure initiatives, our forecasted expenses, income, and the proposed rate increase for the next financial year (1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027).

For a detailed breakdown of next year’s budgets, financial information, and what we plan to deliver to our community, please refer to our Draft Annual Plan 2026/27.

Council adopted the final Annual Plan 2026/27 on the 30 June with a 5.8% overall increase in total rates. Other key decisions made included deferring senior housing rent increases and proceeding with Westport’s stormwater integration project.

The community was invited to provide feedback on our Draft Annual Plan 2026/27. This plan is a statutory one‑year plan and budget that we must prepare in the two years between Long‑term Plans. This plan outlines next year’s proposed rates, what we plan to deliver to our community, and how we intend to pay for it. 

The key purpose of the Annual Plan is to identify any differences between what was proposed in the Long-Term Plan 2025-2034 (LTP) and what is now planned for 2026/27.

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 to go ahead. A key assumption in the LTP was that the work would be funded solely externally 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 was invited to give their feedback on these two options. We also encouraged comments on any other part of the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27.

Our Consultation Document includes information on Westport’s stormwater integration, the two options. It also outlines key infrastructure initiatives, our forecasted expenses, income, and the proposed rate increase for the next financial year (1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027).

For a detailed breakdown of next year’s budgets, financial information, and what we plan to deliver to our community, please refer to our Draft Annual Plan 2026/27.

Council adopted the final Annual Plan 2026/27 on the 30 June with a 5.8% overall increase in total rates. Other key decisions made included deferring senior housing rent increases and proceeding with Westport’s stormwater integration project.