Thames-Coromandel advances draft Annual Plan with focus on low rates

Thames-Coromandel District Council hit a significant milestone in its preparations for a draft Annual Plan for the 2026/27 financial year by adopting yesterday a range of budget proposals aimed at holding the average rates increase to no more than 3.8%.   

This follows extensive preparatory work, including a dozen meetings of the Mayoral Efficiency Taskforce and four Council workshops, which collectively reduced the opening position from a potential 13.4% rates rise to the targeted level of no more than 3.8%.  

Tuesday’s meeting was Council's first formal decision point in shaping the draft Plan and the key proposals for the upcoming public consultation on the proposals, expected to run from late March to late April.  

Mayor Peter Revell said he was pleased that Council could present options for a significantly lower rates increase than in previous years to the public for consideration and feedback.  

“We have heard loud and clear that there is no appetite for steep increases to rates,” Mayor Revell said. “The councillors and I campaigned in last year’s election on this issue and we have worked with staff to identify workable savings and adjustments. Delivering on these in the 2026/27 financial year will mean visible changes to the services Council delivers. In our public consultation we will spell out in detail what these changes mean and we will listen carefully to the feedback we receive.”  

Key proposals decided at Tuesday’s Council meeting that require community feedback include reduced gardening and mowing across parks and reserves and shortened operating hours at three smaller refuse and recycling transfer stations.   

Council also endorsed a proposal for an average 13 % increase in user fees and charges, which will also go out for consultation, alongside proposed changes to rates remissions.   

In a major operational consideration, the proposal to reduce personnel costs by $1 million was adopted.   

Council staff will now develop the proposals for cost savings into a draft consultation document and supporting material that will enable community members to give considered feedback on the proposals. The draft consultation document and supporting information will go to the Council for discussion and adoption. After the consultation material is finalised, we will make it available to the public and invite feedback.  

Once the consultation period has closed, our Council will consider the feedback, discuss any changes and then the final Annual Plan should be adopted in late June, in time for the beginning of the financial year on 1 July. At the same time, rates for the 2026/27 year will be set as will the fees and charges.  

The Annual Plan contains the budgets and project priorities for the year. It modifies what was forecast for the year in the Long Term Plan, which is reviewed and redone every three years. An Annual Plan is drawn up for the intervening two years to take into account changing conditions.