An Annual Plan outlines the activities, services and capital projects the Council will deliver over the coming financial year, and explains how these will be funded, including the rates required.

The Council also prepares a Long Term Plan (LTP) every three years, outlining what we intend to achieve over the next 10 years, and how we will pay for it. Our current LTP covers 2024–2034. The Annual Plan identifies any key changes from the LTP for the financial year.

This Draft Annual Plan covers the financial year from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, which is year three of the LTP 2024–34.

Navigate the Draft Annual Plan:

On this page you will find detailed information about our proposed annual plan, but here is a summary of our main proposals:

There are some alternative options we could proceed with that have a bigger impact on rates than others, or represent a change from what was in the Long Term Plan. We want to highlight these for you, and we want to hear what you think before we decide to go ahead with any of them.

  • Proposed changes to operational spending

    Operational spending covers the Council’s day-to-day expenses, including the cost of delivering the services we provide. We fund most of this through the rates we collect, which means any change in operational spending directly affects the level of rates we set.

    Find out more  

  • Proposed changes to our capital programme

    Our capital spending is the money we invest in physical infrastructure projects. This includes roading and three waters improvements, new community facilities such as libraries and recreation and sport centres, and upgrades to parks and reserves.

    Find out more 

  • Proposed changes to levels of service

    All councils are required to include performance standards, or ‘levels of service’, in their Long Term Plans. As part of this Draft Annual Plan, we propose some minor changes in 2026/27 that do not have a material effect on rates. See them from page 92 of the Draft Annual Plan.

    Find out more  

  • Proposed revenue

    Rates provide 57% of the Council’s funding for the services and activities that keep Christchurch functioning. We are proposing an overall average rates increase of 7.96%, as well as changes to other revenue, fees and charges and our borrowing.

    Find out more 

  • Our Draft Annual Plan does not propose significant changes to our funding for the restoration of four of Christchurch’s key ‘iconic’ buildings – Christ Church Cathedral, Canterbury Museum, Canterbury Provincial Chambers and Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre.

    We are taking the opportunity to seek your views on potential future investment in the restoration of these four iconic buildings.

    Find out more 

We know filling in a submission form can take some time, so this year we have two submission forms to choose from – a full submission form, asking questions about all of the proposed changes with more long response options and a short submission form that only asks the most pivotal questions.

Make a submission

Tell us what you think

You can choose between a full submission form, asking questions about all proposed changes, and a short from, asking only the most pivotal questions.

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