Public notice of consultation on the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27
Buller District Council are commencing consultation to obtain community views on the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27.
The Local Government Act 2002 requires all territorial authorities to adopt an Annual Plan in the two years between the Long-Term Plans.
The Long-Term Plan (LTP) outlines Council's goals, what Council aims to do, and how Council plans to pay for the services delivered to our community over the next financial year (1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027). It also identifies any differences between what was proposed in the Long-Term Plan 2025-2034 and what is now planned for 2026/27.
The Annual Plan must be consulted with the public under Sections 95 (2A) of the Local Government Act 2002 if the draft annual plan includes any significant or material differences from the content of the long-term plan for the financial year to which the proposed annual plan relates.
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 be carried out. A key assumption in the LTP was that the work would be funded solely externally through the Regional Infrastructure Fund – this is no longer the case.
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.
Therefore, Buller District Council is seeking the community's feedback on these two options and any other part of the Draft Annual Plan 2026/27 before the final plan can be adopted.
A Consultation Document has been prepared which contains information about Westport’s stormwater integration, the two options, key infrastructure initiatives, our forecasted expenses, income, and the proposed rate increase for the next financial year.
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.
The Draft Annual Plan 2026/27, Consultation Document, submission form, and other associated documents are available for inspection and may be obtained from the District Councils’ offices in Westport or Reefton, Buller District Libraries, the Ngakawau Community Centre, or the Karamea Information Centre, and on Council’s community engagement hub Let’s talk Buller.
Written submissions on the draft plan are invited during the consultation period from Tuesday 7 April to 4:30 pm on Tuesday 5 May 2026. Late submissions will not be considered.
Submissions can be made online via Councils’ community engagement hub Let's talk Buller, delivered to Councils’ offices, emailed to submissions@bdc.govt.nz , or posted to Councils’ main office. If you have any questions, please contact Buller District Council.
Submitters who wish to speak will be given the opportunity to address Council in support of their submission at a hearing in late May 2025.
Buller District Council, Chief Executive Officer, Simon Pickford