The Draft Annual Plan 2026/2027 is now open for feedback. It outlines everything the Council will deliver over the coming financial year – the services, projects, and how it will pay for them, as well as proposed savings.

Notable proposals we're seeking feedback on include...

  • A rates increase of 7.4% for the average household, or $6.05 a week, and an overall average rates increase across all property types of 7.96%. 
  • $598.9 million of investment into Council infrastructure and facilities.
  • $770.5 million for delivering the day-to-day services the Council provides.
  •  Providing financial support to help restore four ‘iconic’ buildings – Canterbury Museum, Canterbury Provincial Chambers, Christ Church Cathedral and Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre. 
  • Pausing the planned rates increases that would provide additional funding for the Climate Resilience Fund and the Environmental Partnerships Fund.
  • Reducing the money available in the Council’s contestable community grant funding schemes to lower the rates increase.
  • Disposing of a number of properties owned by the Council that are no longer required for their original purpose.

Read more on Newsline(external link)

More about the plan

The Draft Annual Plan is out for feedback until midnight on Friday 27 March. 

Make a submission(external link).

Visit Kōrero mai | Let’s talk(external link) for more information.

Read a handy summary of the Draft Annual Plan [PDF, 5.8 MB] in our consultation document.

Explore our interactive capital programme tool(external link) to see how much we are spending on capital projects and where.

The Council has a small number of properties which are no longer required for the purpose we originally acquired them. We're seeking your feedback as part of this Draft Annual Plan to help us determine the future of each property. 

Check our interactive map(external link) for the full list of properties and more information.

You can also read the list [PDF, 55 KB].

Each year, the Council supports wellbeing in the community by providing contestable community grants. These grants help eligible not-for-profit organisations fund community services, local events, and initiatives across Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.

Our Draft Annual Plan proposes to provide $7.12 million in funding for contestable community grants in 2026/27. We also have the alternative option of reducing the amount available in some contestable grant schemes by 5%, saving $356,100 in 2026/27 and lowering the rates increase by 0.04%.

See the full list of the grants we have the option of reducing funding for [PDF, 213 KB].