2025/2026 Annual Plan discussions begin
Councillors met last week to begin discussions and start the process towards Rotorua Lakes Council’s 2025/26 Annual Plan.
The first workshop of four planned for this year provided Councillors with the opportunity to look back at the priorities set in the 2024-2034 Long-term Plan (LTP), including planned activities for Year 2 (the 2025/26 financial year), and consider any new changes and challenges that may trigger a need for wider community conversation going into the next year of the plan.
Capital delivery during Year 2 of the LTP has the highest investment across the 10 years of the plan, with an investment of $147m into infrastructure including wastewater and stormwater enhancements, restoration of the Rotorua Museum and water supply network extension and enhancements.
The LTP has forecasted a 9.8% rates rise for Year 2, with the increase driven mostly by the establishment of the Food Organics Green Organics (FOGO) collection, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure investment and the Rotorua Museum rebuild.
Councillors will now have the opportunity to reflect on the current priorities and planned activities for Year 2. Council will provide feedback to staff who will develop proposals for consideration.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said this first workshop was a good opportunity to look back on the decisions made through the Long-term Plan and set the scene for what could be included in an Annual Plan.
“As a Council we remain focused on smart investment which means delivering essential services and projects well and making sure our community benefits from a better Rotorua.
“This is our opportunity to influence what was set in the past and decide what we will invest in for our community and importantly the impact that has on rates.”
Councils don’t have to make wholesale changes every year, but sometimes a change in circumstances or the operating environment might require an adjustment to the original plan. That’s what elected members will need to determine across the next three workshops over the coming months.
Workshop dates:
- 18 November – Workshop 2 (confidential): Identifying opportunities, feedback from elected members
- 5 December - Workshop 3: Opportunities from Organisation Reset Phase 2
- 12 December – Workshop 4: First Annual Plan draft
Following the workshops, council staff will take Councillors direction and develop the draft Annual Plan which will be shared with the community for feedback.
Consultation will likely happen during April 2025 with official adoption of the Annual Plan in June 2025.
The upcoming workshops will be livestreamed on Council’s Youtube channel:
You can watch this week’s first annual plan workshop here:
