11 Dec 2024

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Councillors have given direction on the Draft Annal Plan 2025/26, which will determine next year's rates.

The Annual Plan 2025/26 will include any changes from the Long Term Plan 2024–34 (LTP), which set out the services and capital projects the Council will deliver over the coming decade.   

“Our careful planning and delivery over the past few years has made Christchurch one of the most desirable places to live, work and visit,” says Mayor Phil Mauger. 

“We’re already ahead of the game – our population is growing, we’re New Zealand’s second largest city and we’re one of the fastest growing regions in the country. We want to keep up that momentum. 

On top of capital projects included in the LTP, such as Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha, the Annual Plan will include: 

  • Consulting on a pause on charging rates for restoration of the Christ Church Cathedral. 

  • Using the remaining $55 million from the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant insurance settlement to reduce borrowing in the interim.   

  • Additional funding to manage the large number of plan changes the Council is required to address. 

  • A number of small increases and decreases for things such as maintenance contracts.  

  • A number of capital projects starting earlier or pushed back to a later date. 

  • An alternative option for the Wheels to Wings major cycle route, which includes linking the Nor’West Arc and Northern Line, adding a signalised pedestrian crossing outside Harewood School and installing traffic lights at the Harewood/Gardiners/Breens intersection. 

“Through a series of workshops over the last few months, elected members and staff have arrived at a mix of things that give us an average overall rates increase in 2025/26 of 8.93%,” Mayor Mauger says. 

 “This would translate to 8.53% for the average household, or $6.05 per week. 

 “The steer we’ve given provides a solid base for completing the development of the Draft Annual Plan, and the rates figure will keep evolving as the plan itself does. 

“Christchurch City Council has a track record of tackling the big stuff and adapting to challenges – as a result, we’re showing what a modern city can be. 

“The other side of that is the juggling act. If we add services and projects to next year’s To Do list, rates increases are a certainty. The Council is committed to keeping rates increases as low as possible, so if we put things in, we’ll need to take other things out,” Mayor Mauger says. 

“Our LTP set out 8.48% increase for this year – we’re currently in a really early stage of the process, but that's the number we’re going to work hard to achieve before we lock in a proposed rate in February.” 

The slightly higher 8.93% is slightly higher than the 8.48% set out in the second year of the LTP due largely to an additional 0.28% to cover Government costs related to Local Water Done Well. 

 The Draft Annual Plan is set to be adopted on 12 February 2025 and will go out for public feedback in March.