Councils
Southland District Council has decided that there will be no formal consultation on its Annual Plan for 2025/2026.
This Annual Plan is based on year two of the Long Term Plan 2024-2034 (LTP34). As there are no significant or material differences from what was budgeted for year two of LTP34, Council decided a formal consultation process was not required. Rather, Council is making information about the Annual Plan available through a range of platforms, including social media, Council’s website and its ratepayer magazine First Edition. Related: SDC Opens Consultation For Local Water Done Well
The Annual Plan documents the community initiatives, projects, revenue, and financing planned for the year, and gives Council an opportunity to review what was proposed for the 2025/2026 year in the LTP.
Overall rates in the Annual Plan 2025/2026 are budgeted to increase by an average of 7.23% ($5.2 million), less than the 7.9% that was planned for year two of the LTP34.
Several factors have contributed to the $5.2 million increase.
The biggest portion is $2.7 million of rates associated with a planned larger roading programme, which has not received the anticipated level of funding from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA). This will result in a $7 million surplus over the three-year funding period.
Council will continue to seek other government funding opportunities to undertake the work currently not funded by NZTA. If the opportunities arise, Council will use the $7 million to contribute towards its 45% share of the funding. Should, the $7 million not be fully utilised, Council has elected to use any surplus to pay off roading debt and hold the remainder in roading rate reserves.
A further $1.66 million is due to for stormwater, wastewater and drinking water costs, from increased depreciation funding, loan and principal repayments, maintenance increases, insurance and electricity
The average rates change for a residential property across the district will be around $345 (9%), or $7 per week. The proposed rate change for individual properties will vary depending on the type of property, its location and the services it pays for, as well as its capital value and changes to the value of the property resulting from the recent revaluations.
By land use sector the proposed average rate increase varies. The average increase for a farm is around $190 (3%), $900 (7%) for a dairy farm, $600 (15%) for a forestry property, $245 (10%) for lifestyle, $700 (7%) for commercial, $460 (8%) for industrial, $160 (7%) for mining and $790 (6%) for other properties.
Property owners can see their estimated rates based on the draft 2025/2026 Annual Plan on the rates calculator on Council’s website: southlanddc.govt.nz/annualplan2025