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.

Submissions are one of the most powerful ways communities in New Zealand can shape local government decision-making. 

Your voice matters. Make it count. 


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.

Submissions are one of the most powerful ways communities in New Zealand can shape local government decision-making. 

Your voice matters. Make it count. 

If you have a question relating to our Draft Annual Plan 2026/27, you can ask it here until 19 April 2026. 

We will collate these, subject to our guidelines below, and answer them on this page. 

If you still have a question after the 19 April 2026, feel free to send us an email to annualplan@bdc.govt.nz or through this tool and we will answer it directly.

Q&A guidelines 

We will at our discretion, remove any questions/comments we deem inappropriate or disrespectful and reserve the right to determine what constitutes inappropriate content. This may include but is not limited to:  

  • Offensive, abusive, or threatening content. 
  • Defamatory, discriminatory, or bullying remarks. 
  • Personal attacks on staff, elected members, or other users. 
  • Repeated off-topic or inflammatory questions 
  • Misinformation, disinformation or spam 
  • Questions that display micro-aggression. A micro-aggression is a statement regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of any marginalised group, such as ethnic or gender minorities.  
  • Questions that repeatedly ignore professional responses and continue problematic framing.  
  • Questions that require disclosure of confidential or commercially sensitive information Including contact details and personal or health information. 


 

  • Co-fund Westport's stormwater upgrades or not, the 40% were would this come from does this mean another rate rise and for whom the whole of the Buller or Westport alone, user pays. thank you

    Faye asked about 1 month ago

    Thank you for your question and please see our team's answer. Stormwater across the district is funded through a district-wide rate charged as part of the General Rate component in your rates invoice. Therefore, everyone in the district who pays rates contributes to stormwater management in Buller. You can see what your General Rates are proposed to fund in 2026/27 in our Consultation Document on page 11. If Council decides to co-fund the integration of Westport's stormwater with the floodwalls prior to their construction, this would add approximately 0.5% rates increase to the proposed average rate increase of 4.4%.  

    stormwater integration
    stormwater integration

  • Hi The campground at Mokihinui is facing a $800,000 septic upgrade half funded by council I understand. Where’s the money coming from please?

    Todd asked about 1 month ago

    Thank you for your question and please see our team's answer. The $800,000 septic tank upgrade for the Mokihinui campground is co-funded by central government and Buller District Council. The total cost will be split equally between both parties, with each party covering $400,000. For more information on the project, read our media release.  Council's share is funded from its own Reserves Contribution Fund, which is sourced from developer's contributions collected under the District Plan. These contributions are paid by developers as part of development approvals and are specifically intended to support the provision, enhancement and upgrading of open space and public recreation facilities.

    mokihinui,wastewater
    mokihinui wastewater

  • Will this solve the problem of outlets on private property ( with no easement) flooding properties? Most of our flood water came from one of these on our property. There was very little we could do but watch the water pour into our property and leave. At this stage we had no water from the street or neighbours. We have considered concreting this to prevent further flooding as the junctions on either side of these are quite some distance away.

    Concerned ratepayer asked about 1 month ago

    Thank you for your question and please see our team's answer. The upgrade to Westport's stormwater system, in line with the construction of the floodwalls, will not address or target flooding issues occurring on individual properties. The upgrade aims to enable stormwater to drain more efficiently and be diverted during heavy rain events into the Buller River on a township level. In line with ongoing pipe network upgrades, this should, overall, reduce surface flooding during heavy rain events in Westport.

    stormwater integration
    stormwater integration

  • How can council justify a proposed 38% increase for Mokihinui when residents there get very little council services and the average rate increases are given at 4.5%

    Simsee asked about 2 months ago

    Thank you for your question and please see our team's answer. The rates were smoothed last year for drinking water to minimise the rates impact on people using these. However, the current cost of running these has been reflected in the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27, resulting in the proposed rates. Our suggestion long term is to look at a district rate for water, which we will explore as part of the Long-Term Plan 2027-2037 process in 2026/27. Ultimately, water supplies with a small number of houses connected to it, and therefore a small amount of people paying for it, are more expensive to run.

    drinking water,mokihinui
    drinking water mokihinui