Annual Plan
2025-2026: local board consultation feedback and input
File No.: CP2025/08520
Te take mō te
pūrongo
Purpose of the report
1. To
receive consultation feedback from the Waitematā Local Board area on:
· proposed
priorities and activities for the Waitematā Local Board Agreement
2025/2026
· regional
topics for the Annual Plan 2025/2026.
2. To
recommend any local matters or advocacy initiatives to the Governing Body for
consideration or decision-making as part of the Annual Plan 2025/2026 process.
3. To
provide input on the proposed regional topics in the Annual
Plan 2025/2026 to the Governing Body.
Whakarāpopototanga matua
Executive summary
4. Local
board agreements outline annual funding priorities, activities, budgets, levels
of service, performance measures and initiatives for each local board area. The
2025/2026 local board agreements will be included in the Auckland
Council’s Annual Plan 2025/2026.
5. Auckland Council publicly consulted from 28 February to 28 March
2025 to gather community feedback on the proposed Annual
Plan 2025/2026. This included consultation on the Waitematā Local
Board’s proposed priorities for 2025/2026 to be included
in their local board agreement and key priorities for the Annual Plan 2025/2026.
6. Auckland Council received 13,016 submissions
in total across the region and 864 submissions from the
Waitematā Local Board
area. Public submissions for the local board are included in Attachment A to
this report. Key local consultation feedback included:
· Improve
pathways across the whole board area (specific mentions included Ponsonby and
the city centre)
· Homelessness
is a central government issue, not a council issue
· Retain
Speedway at Western Springs
· Concern
about cuts to arts and culture
· Safety
in the city centre is a problem
7. As part of the Annual Plan process, local boards provide
recommendations to the Governing Body for consideration or decision-making.
This includes any local board advocacy initiatives. The Governing Body will
consider these matters during the Annual Plan decision-making process in May
and June 2025, including:
· any new/amended business improvement
district targeted rates
· any
new/amended local targeted rate proposals
· the
release of local board specific reserve funds
· any
other local board advocacy initiatives.
8. Local boards have a statutory responsibility to provide
input into regional strategies, policies, plans, and bylaws. This report
provides an opportunity for the local board to provide input on council’s
Annual Plan 2025/2026.
Ngā tūtohunga
Recommendation/s
That the Waitematā Local
Board:
a) receive consultation feedback (Attachment A) on the proposed Waitematā Local Board
priorities and activities for 2025/2026.
b) receive consultation feedback on regional topics in the Annual Plan 2025/2026 from people and organisations based in the Waitematā Local Board area.
c) recommend any new or amended Business Improvement District (BID)
targeted rates to the Governing Body.
d) provide input (Attachment B, tabled) on regional topics in the
proposed Annual Plan 2025/2026 and key advocacy
initiatives to the Governing Body.
Horopaki
Context
9. Each
financial year Auckland Council must have a local board agreement (as agreed
between the Governing Body and the relevant local board) for each local board
area. The local board agreement outlines how the Council will reflect
priorities of the Waitematā Local Board Plan 2023
in respect of the local activities to be provided in the local board area, and
also includes information on budgets, levels of service, and performance
measures.
10. The Local
Board Agreements 2025/2026 will form part of the Auckland Council’s Annual Plan 2025/2026.
11. Auckland Council publicly consulted from 28 February to 28 March
2025 to seek community feedback on the proposed Annual
Plan 2025/2026. The consultation content included information on regional
proposals to be decided by the Governing Body, and information on the Waitematā Local Board’s proposed priorities for
2025/2026 to be included in their local board agreement
for 2025/2026.
12. Local boards have a statutory responsibility to identify and
communicate the interests and preferences of people in their local board area
in relation to the Annual Plan 2025/2026.
Tātaritanga me ngā
tohutohu
Analysis and advice
13. This report includes analysis of consultation feedback, any local
matters to be recommended to the Governing Body and seeks input on regional
topics in the proposed Annual Plan 2025/2026.
Consultation
feedback overview
14. As part of
the public consultation for the Annual Plan 2025/2026 Auckland Council used a
variety of methods and channels to reach and engage a broad cross section of
Aucklanders to gain their feedback and input into regional and local topics.
15. In
total, Auckland Council received feedback from 13,016 people
in the consultation period. This feedback was received through:
· written
feedback – 10,011 hard copy and online forms,
emails and letters.
· in
person – 3,001 pieces of feedback in person and
through 89 Have Your Say events (3 of which were held in the
Waitematā Local Board area).
· The tables and graphs below indicate the demographic categories people
who selected Waitematā as their place of residence
identified with. This information only relates to those submitters who provided
demographic information.
· Neurodiverse
Online Audio – four feedback forms.
1. 
16. All
feedback will be made available on an Auckland Council webpage called
“Feedback on the Annual Plan 2025/2026'” and will be accessible
after 22 April 2025 through the following link: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/annual-plan-2025-2026/feedback-annual-plan-2025-2026.
17. During
the consultation period, the question “What do you think of our proposals
for our local board area in 2025/2026?” was discovered to be missing from
the online feedback form, affecting 173 submissions for Waitematā Local Board (around 1,700
submissions in total). The issue was later corrected, and affected submitters
were contacted with a link to provide feedback on this question before the
consultation closed on 28 March. Of the affected submissions, 53 submitters
responded to the missing question. A review was conducted to identify the cause
of the error and prevent similar issues in the future.
Feedback
received on the Waitematā Local Board’s priorities for 2025/2026 and
the Annual Plan 2025/2026
18. The Waitematā Local Board consulted on the following
local priorities for 2025/2026:
· Priority 1: Prioritising
and investigating flood resilience actions for our parks such as Western Park
and Grey Lynn Park
· Priority
2: Delivering footpath
improvements for Auckland Domain
· Priority
3: Starting construction for Leys
Institute
· Priority
4: Delivery of Heard
Park Civic Space
· Priority
5: Prioritising sport and
recreation opportunities for groups that have less
· Priority
6: Investigating
transition of Grey Lynn Paddling Pool into a seasonal splashpad
· Priority
7: Community services programming
to enhance perceptions of safety
· Priority
8: Support for ending
homelessness in Auckland
19. 253 submissions were received on Waitematā Local
Board’s priorities. The majority of local respondents were in support of
the priorities in general, as reflected in the below graph:
20. The most supported priority was ‘Support for ending
homelessness in Auckland’ with 66% identifying it as very important.
While this was the most supported priority, a strong theme was that
homelessness is not a local government issue to solve.
21. Flood resilience action remains a high priority for most
submitters closely followed by programming to enhance perceptions of safety.
22. ‘Delivery of the Heard Park Civic Space’ and
‘Investigating transition of Grey Lynn Paddling Pool into a seasonal
splashpad’ were deemed the least important of the 8 priorities by
submitters.
23. Consultation feedback on local board priorities will be
considered by the local board when approving their local board agreement on 10
June 2025.
Information on submitters
Key themes
24. Key themes of note across the feedback received (through
written and in-person channels) included:
· Improve footpaths across the wider board area (specific
mentions of Ponsonby and the city centre)
· Homelessness is a central Government issue rather than a
council issue to address
· Retain Speedway at Western Springs
· Concern about cuts to funding for arts and culture
· Safety in the city centre remains an issue for many and
needs more attention
Overview of feedback received on
regional topics in the Annual Plan from the Waitematā Local Board area
25. The proposed Annual Plan 2025/2026 builds on the
Long-term Plan 2024-2034 (LTP), setting out Auckland Council’s priorities
and how services and investments are proposed to be funded. Consultation on the
proposed Annual Plan 2025/2026 asked submitters to respond to key questions
related to:
· The overall
plan
· Destination management and major events
· Changes
to other rates, fees and charges
· Local board priorities.
26. Submitters
were also encouraged to provide feedback on any of other matters included in
the Annual Plan 2025/2026 consultation
document.
27. The submissions received from the Waitematā Local
Board area on these key issues are summarised below, along with an overview of
any other areas of feedback on regional proposals with a local impact.
Key
Question 1: Overall Plan
28. Aucklanders were asked whether they support the overall
plan including prioritising investment
in:
· transport
· water; and
· fairer funding for local communities.
29. The consultation document for the Annual Plan 2025/2026 also
outlined the proposed funding approach which includes a 5.8 per cent rates
increase for the average value residential property, consistent with the LTP,
and additional debt financing to fund $4 billion in capital expenditure.
30. The
proposed 5.8 per cent rates increase for the average value residential property
for 2025/2026 includes the following proposed rates changes:
· an average
general rates increase of 6.40 per cent for existing ratepayers
· an average increase of 3.5 per cent to the Natural
Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) and Climate Action Transport Targeted Rate
(CATTR) for existing ratepayers, as set out in the LTP
· an average increase of $2.12 in the Water Quality
Targeted Rate (WQTR) to cover the operating and interest costs for the
programme, as set out in the LTP
· a 3.3 per cent increase to the overall Waste Management
Targeted Rate (WMTR) for the typical household.
31. The graphs below give an overview of the responses from
the Waitematā Local Board area.
32. 562 submitters comprising individuals and organisations
responded to the question on the proposed Annual Plan.
33. 76 per cent of individual submitters supported all, or
most of the proposed priorities.
34. 90 per cent of organisation submitters supported all, or
most of the proposed priorities.
35. Identified themes from ‘supportive’
submissions include those such as the proposed plan as being fair, balanced, or
reasonable. Additionally, prioritisation and spending on transport
infrastructure, and water management were heavily favoured or identified by
submitters. Fairer funding for local boards was broadly supported by these
submitters and interlinked with support for increased decision-making for local
boards.
36. Identified themes from ‘non-supportive’
submissions, including submitters whose submissions were categorised as
‘I don’t know’ or provided other responses, include concerns
relating to overall rates rises, both for residents and businesses, a lack of
perceived value of council services versus the cost to ratepayers, not enough
priority on transport and water infrastructure, and differences of opinion
amongst submitters on ‘core priorities’.
37. The following
mana whenua and iwi organisations provided feedback on the proposed Annual Plan,
and their submissions are included in the publicly available submissions data.
· Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust
· Ngāti
Tamaterā Trust
· Ngāti
Tamaoho Trust
· Te
Uri o Hau Trust
· Ngāti
Pāoa
· Te
Ahiwaru Trust
· Ngāti
Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea Trust
· Ngaati
Whanaunga
· Ngāti
Maru
· Te
Ākitai Waiohua
· Te
Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua
· Te Patukirikiri
· Te
Kawerau ā Maki
38. Within a Waitematā Local Board context relating to
its direct relationships with mana whenua, Ngāti Whātua
Ōrākei broadly supports the overall direction of the proposed annual
plan, with particular support for destination management, marketing, and major
events. They maintain an interest in developing stronger partnership and
collaboration efforts with Auckland Council to ensure destination management
success. They broadly support increased decision-making for local boards and note
continued efforts by local boards to engage appropriately with mana whenua and
iwi entities.
Key Question 2: Destination management and major
events
39. Aucklanders were asked for feedback on a bed night visitor levy paid
by those in short-stay commercial accommodation, to fund destination
management, marketing and major events. Without such a levy, a $7 million
budget shortfall for the 2025/2026 financial year could impact the funding for
major events that are expected to attract visitor expenditure, such as the ASB
Classic, Auckland Marathon, and Auckland Writers Festival.
40. A
bed night visitor levy of 2.5 to 3 per cent paid by those in short-stay
accommodation would raise around $27 million annually to fund even more
destination management, marketing and major events activities in Auckland.
However, this requires central government legislative change. Auckland Council continues to work with central
government on this, with public
feedback helping to inform this work.
41. The graphs below give an overview of the responses from
the Waitematā Local Board area.
42. 573
submitters comprising individuals and organisations responded to the question
on Destination Management and Major Events.
43. 64
per cent of individuals supported the introduction of a bed night visitor levy
paid by those in short-stay commercial accommodation.
44. 55
per cent of organisations supported the introduction of a bed night visitor
levy paid by those in short-stay commercial accommodation.
45. Identified
themes from ‘supportive’ submissions include those such as a need
for major events funding to be sustainable and continuing to support
Auckland’s growth and position as a destination location for events It
also includes themes relating to visitors contributing more towards
infrastructure needed to support these events, stronger funding for tourism
related activity, and that bed levies were identified by submitters as common
internationally in places they had travelled to and were not considered a
deterrent.
46. Identified
themes from ‘non-supportive’ submitters included concerns relating
to ‘pass-on’ costs to ratepayers and residents, and mixed support
from tourism or hospitality organisations such as Hotel Council Aotearoa that
suggest a central government model be considered nationwide ahead of any
immediate local implementation for Auckland relating to a bed night visitor
levy.
Key Question 3: changes to other rates, fees and
charges
47. Aucklanders were asked to provide feedback on
proposed changes to certain targeted rates and some fees and charges as outlined below.
Waste management rates changes
48. Aucklanders were asked whether they support applying the Refuse Targeted Rate to
residential and lifestyle properties in Franklin and Rodney to fund the
council’s rubbish collection service, replacing the current system of
purchasing rubbish bags.
49. Starting in 2025/2026, residential and
lifestyle properties in Franklin and Rodney will be charged a refuse targeted
rate for the first time. Franklin's rate will cover a full year of service,
while Rodney's will be about 83% of the full charge due to its scheduled
September 2025 start date. Additionally, from July 2025, waste management
services and targeted rates will be introduced in Manukau's commercial areas
where the service isn’t presently available.
2. 
3. Changes
to fees and charges
50. Other proposed changes to fees and charges included in the
consultation document for the Annual Plan 2025/2026 include:
· changes to
some animal management fees including an increase in the dog adoption fee from
$350 to $450 and an increase vet fee from $75 to $150
· fees for some cemetery and cremation services
· realigning bach fees into pricing tiers based on
occupancy levels, capacity, and location
· aligning staff charge-out rates with staff pay bands for
services in regional parks
51. 562 submitters comprising individuals and organisations
responded to the question on the waste management proposal, and changes to fees
and charges.
52. 59 per cent of individuals supported the overall
proposal.
53. 20 per cent of organisations supported the overall
proposal.
54. Of note, 40 per cent of organisations provided
submissions which were classified as ‘other’. Predominantly,
organisation submissions highlighted general concern about the level of rates
increase for businesses in particular alongside increases in the percentages
paid towards targeted rates funding.
Other
matters for feedback
55. The
following matters were also included in the consultation in the Long-term Plan:
Draft Tūpuna Maunga Authority Operational Plan
2025/2026
56. Aucklanders
were asked for feedback on the draft Tūpuna Maunga Authority (TMA)
Operational Plan 2025/2026 which sets out a framework in which the council must
carry out the routine management of 14 Tūpuna Maunga, under the direction
of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority.
57. There were less than 25 identified submissions from the
Waitematā Local Board area which referenced the TMA plan.
58. Identified themes included concerns about removal of
exotic species of trees which irrespective of classification still contribute
to ngahere functionality. Further themes were concern at the general approach
to TMA management, its cost to Council and ratepayers more broadly, and the
wider benefits to all of Auckland of the operational plan.
59. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust noted its
concern about lack of management of exotic grasses on Tūpuna Maunga
contributing to fire hazard risks and recommend a targeted grazing programme
with appropriate animal species be introduced to control and minimise risk to
people and property.
Any other feedback
60. Aucklanders were asked if they had any other comments. Key
themes of note across other areas of feedback received included:
· Western
Springs Speedway was an item of interest for submitters, indicating Speedway
should be retained (approximate 100 comments)
Recommendations on local matters
61. This report provides for the local board to recommend
local matters to the Governing Body for consideration as part of the Annual
Plan process, in May 2025. This includes:
· any
new/amended local targeted rate proposals
· any
new/amended business improvement district targeted rates
· release
of local board specific reserve funds
· local
advocacy initiatives.
Local
targeted rate and business improvement district (BID) targeted rate proposals
62. Local boards are required to endorse any new or amended
local targeted rate proposals or business improvement district (BID) targeted
rate proposals in their local board area. These proposals must have been
consulted on before they can be implemented.
The local boards then recommend these proposals to the Governing Body for
approval of the targeted rate.
63. The BID proposal in the Waitematā Local Board area
for 2025/2026 is:
· establishing Business Improvement
Districts (BID) and associated targeted rates in Grey Lynn
Local
board specific reserve funds
64. Local boards
are allocated funding for the delivery of local services, projects and
programmes that are important to their communities. Local boards have decision
making over the allocation of these funds but need approval from the Governing
Body where the release of local board specific reserve funds is requested,
which are being held by the council for a specific purpose.
65. This does not
apply to the Waitematā Local Board for the 2025/2026 Financial Year.
Local
board advocacy
66. Local boards can also agree advocacy initiatives which
considers the consultation feedback above. This allows the Governing Body to
consider these advocacy items when making decisions on the Annual Plan
2025/2026 in May.
67. The advocacy initiatives approved by the local board will
then be included as an appendix to the 2025/2026 Local Board Agreement
Local board input on regional topics in the Annual Plan 2025/2026
68. Local boards have a statutory responsibility for
identifying and communicating the interests and preferences of the people in
its local board area in relation to Auckland Council’s strategies,
policies, plans, and bylaws, and any proposed changes to be made to
them. This report provides an opportunity for the local board to provide
input on council’s proposed Annual Plan 2025/2026.
69. Local board plans reflect community priorities and
preferences and are key documents that guide the development of local board
agreements, local board annual work programmes, and local board input into
regional plans such as the long-term plan and annual plan.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
āhuarangi
Climate impact statement
70. The decisions recommended in this report are part of the
Annual Plan 2025/2026 and local board agreement process to approve funding and
expenditure over the next year.
71. Projects allocated funding through this Annual Plan
process will all have varying levels of potential climate impact associated
with them. The climate impacts of projects Auckland Council chooses to
progress, are all assessed carefully as part of council’s rigorous
reporting requirements.
Ngā whakaaweawe me
ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera
Council group impacts and views
72. The Annual Plan 2025/2026 is an Auckland Council Group
document and will include budgets at a consolidated group level. Consultation
items and updates to budgets to reflect decisions and new information may include
items from across the group.
Ngā whakaaweawe
ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe
Local impacts and local board views
73. The local board’s decisions and feedback are being
sought in this report. The local board has a statutory role in providing its
feedback on regional plans.
74. Local boards play an important role in the development of
the council’s Annual Plan 2025/2026. Local board agreements form part of
the Annual Plan. Local
board chairs have been invited to attend Budget Committee workshops. Local
board members were provided recordings or briefings of the Budget Committee
workshops for the Annual Plan 2025/2026.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
Māori
Māori impact statement
75. Many local board decisions are of importance to and
impact Māori. Local board agreements and the Annual Plan are important
tools that enable and can demonstrate the council’s responsiveness to
Māori Outcomes.
76. Local board plans, developed in 2023 through engagement
with the community including Māori, form the basis of local board area
priorities.
77. Some projects approved for funding could have discernible
impacts on Māori. For any project or programme progressed by Auckland
Council, the potential impacts on Māori, will be assessed as part of
relevant reporting requirements.
78. Analysis of consultation feedback received on the
proposed Annual Plan includes submissions made by mana whenua, matawaaka
organisations and the wider Māori community who have interests in the rohe
/ local board area.
79. The Governance team led the council-wide
approach with support from Ngā Mātārae on engagement with
Māori entities. This included:
· three information
sessions for mana whenua on submissions and the process for submissions
· five information
sessions for mātaawaka on submissions and the process for submissions
· one hearing style
event for mana whenua and mātaawaka groups
80. Nineteen mana whenua entities have
interests in the Auckland Council rohe. Thirteen of the nineteen (68.42%)
provided verbal or written submissions on the Auckland Council’s
proposals for the Annual Plan 2025/2026.
81. There were six oral submissions from mana
whenua and six oral submissions from mātaawaka at the Have your Say Event.
82. Māori comprise
8.4% of the population in the Waitematā Local Board area. 49
submissions from people who identify as Māori were received from people
residing in the Waitematā
Local Board area. This represents 6% of total submissions.
Ngā ritenga
ā-pūtea
Financial implications
83. The local board provides input to regional plans and
proposals. There is information in the council’s consultation material
for each plan or proposal with the financial implications of each option
outlined for consideration.
Ngā raru tūpono me
ngā whakamaurutanga
Risks and mitigations
84. The council must adopt its Annual Plan, which includes
local board agreements, by 30 June 2025. The local board is required to make
recommendations on these local matters for the Annual Plan by mid-May 2025, to
enable and support the Governing Body to make decisions on key items to be
included in the Annual Plan on 28 May 2025.
Ngā koringa ā-muri
Next steps
85. Recommendations and feedback from the local board will be
provided to the Budget Committee for consideration as part of decision-making
for the Annual Plan 2025/2026.
86. The local board will approve its local content for
inclusion in the final Annual Plan 2025/2026 (including its local board
agreement) and corresponding work programmes in June 2025.
87. The final Annual Plan 2025/2026 (including local board
agreements) will be adopted by the Governing Body on 25 June 2025.
Ngā tāpirihanga
Attachments
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No.
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Title
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Page
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a
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Annual Plan 2025/2026 - Written Feedback
Waitematā Local Board
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Ngā kaihaina
Signatories
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Authors
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Ali Keiller - Local Board Advisor
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Authorisers
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Tristan Coulson - Local Area Manager
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