13 March 2026

Greater Wellington councillors have approved the proposed 2026/27 Annual Plan, balancing delivery of council’s essential services with community needs to get an average regional rates increase of 9.7%.

The proposed average regional rates increase for residential rates (including GST) is $83.83 ($1.61 per week), for business rates (excluding GST) is $695.70 ($13.38 per week), and rural rates (excluding GST) is $103.25 ($1.99 per week) per annum.

Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter said councillors were mindful of the pressures facing households, whānau and businesses across the region as well as sweeping central government reforms which will limit local government investment in the future.

“We know that many people are feeling stretched, and that’s front of mind as we work through the proposed Annual Plan process,” says Cr Ponter.

“We’re also facing the challenge of maintaining essential services for our communities while the Government proposes major changes to the Resource Management Act and the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act. These reforms would require councils to take on new regulatory responsibilities without any signal of additional funding.”

Greater Wellington deputy chair Adrienne Staples said councillors were seeking a careful balance between affordability and maintaining core services and advocated to reduce the average rates increase from 13.3% as outlined in the 2024-34 Long Term Plan to 9.7%.

“Our communities expect us to be prudent with their money. Councillors have been clear that we want to see more options for savings and efficiencies, while still protecting the services that support regional economic wellbeing, resilience and quality of life,” says Cr Staples.

Public transport savings included aligning service capacity with demand and deferring lower-priority infrastructure upgrades. Affordability, equity, and patronage impacts remain key considerations in the proposed Annual Plan.

Greater Wellington Public Transport Committee chair Ros Connelly said public transport is essential to unlocking economic growth and supporting local businesses, while also playing a vital role in helping people get to work, school and university, and stay connected with their communities.

“Public transport needs to be reliable and affordable for the people who depend on it every day,” says Cr Connelly.

“Councillors are closely examining where costs can be reduced or managed better, without losing sight of the need for a public transport system that works for our communities now and into the future.”

Savings in environmental services were achieved by slowing some restoration work across the region and delaying flood defence improvements in the Hutt Valley while ensuring that reductions did not undermine longterm environmental outcomes.

Greater Wellington Environment and Climate Committee chair Quentin Duthie said core services — including protecting areas of highest ecological value and maintaining critical flood defences — have been prioritised to ensure longterm outcomes are safeguarded.

“People care deeply about the health of our rivers, harbours and natural spaces and want us to reverse decline and promote improvement,” says Cr Duthie.

Proposed environmental changes also included an increase to camping fees to help maintain campground and visitor facilities.

“Over summer my whānau and I enjoyed camping in our regional parks, and it’s clear how much people value these spaces. Updating camping fees — which haven’t changed since 2020 — will help us maintain the popular, highquality facilities visitors enjoy, while keeping them affordable and in line with similar campgrounds,” says Cr Duthie.

From Tuesday 17 March the public will be able to find out what the Annual Plan means for them including key projects happening in their area via the Greater Wellington Annual Plan page.

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