Coast pushes back on Annual Plan

Auckland Council’s proposed Annual Plan has drawn a strong and divided response from Hibiscus and Bays residents, with feedback highlighting concerns about rising costs, transport and whether communities are seeing benefits locally.

The Annual Plan 2026/2027 consultation was held from February 27 to March 29 and saw council receive 12,147 pieces of feedback from individuals, organisations, Māori entities and campaigners.

A total of 801 submissions were received from the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area, including 377 individual responses specifically addressing the overall direction of the plan.

Of these, 43 per cent supported all or most of the annual plan’s proposals while 54 per cent did not support most or any of the plan’s proposals. 

At the centre of the debate is the proposed 7.9 per cent rates increase (for the average value residential property) for 2026/27. However, many Coast residents received rates increase as high as 20 percent last year.

A frequent complaint was that the rates increases were too high and came with no improvement to services.

One submitter said they had “absolutely no use for CRL as I live in Army Bay and will never use this service,” adding, “After last year’s 17 per cent increase, I refuse to pay this much and will move out of this region if this goes ahead. You are bleeding us dry.” 

They added that previous increases had “also offered very little if any tangible benefit to my local population and priorities.” 

Although frustration was common, some submitters backed the long-term investment approach.

“The cost increase for rates sucks, but we [need] a comprehensive rail network and we need to invest in that now,” one resident said. 

However, a recurring theme across submissions was the perceived gap between regional spending and local benefit.

“Out of the major projects proposed, none actually benefit the community of Whangaparāoa,” one submitter said. 

Transport concerns also featured strongly, particularly around ferry services and reliability.

One Gulf Harbour resident said ferry services were being overlooked despite their importance.

“Gulf Harbour ferry services are proposed to be cut yet again, and there is no reference to improving service reliability, which is key to improving revenue for this vital service,” they said. 

They said alternatives were not realistic, with local roads already under pressure.

“Bus services will be next to useless on the single lane and only road to my area, and ferry services are frequently cut at short notice, meaning travellers cannot rely on using them.” 

For some, the issue comes back to who benefits from large-scale investment.

“I will gain nothing from CRL, yet I am paying for it,” the same submitter said. 

Despite the criticism, there were areas of agreement. Environmental initiatives, including water protection and restoration, received consistent support across submissions.

Overall, the feedback painted a picture of a community under financial pressure, weighing the cost of long-term regional investment against the need for visible, local improvements.

The consultation results will now be considered by council as it finalises the annual plan.

What can the Coast expect for rates increases in 2026/27?

Although Mayor Wayne Brown is promoting a 7.9 per cent average, feedback from the annual plan shows that Coast residents are anticipating much higher increases after last year’s bills. However, the council says that rates should be closer to the 7.9 per cent mark across the region, even if rezoning has taken place.

Auckland Council’s Financial Services general manager Rhonwen Heath says that the rates increase for specific properties will depend on their value and will be in line with information included in the annual plan consultation document. 

“The proposed rates increase for the average value residential property in Hibiscus and Bays will be 7.94 per cent and rates increases this year will cluster much more closely around 7.9 per cent,” Heath says. “Last year’s variability was as a result of the three-yearly rating revaluation. The next revaluation cycle is due to start in 2027 and will be used for rating purposes from July 1, 2028.”

“In relation to Plan Change 120, rezoning itself does not automatically change rates.  Zoning changes can influence the selling price and values of properties over time, and these figures will impact future valuations, rather than being felt immediately.”

However, Albany Ward councillor John Watson says the 7.9 per cent figure is still the highest figure in history for the Super City.

“What’s more, it comes off the back of last year’s massive increase prompted by property revaluations where nearly half the property owners on the Coast experienced a rates increase of between 10 per cent to 20 per cent in the one year alone,” Watson says.

“The recent public consultation results on the rates and the annual plan showed a clear majority of people from the Hibiscus and Bays area do not agree with Mayor Brown’s budget, in fact, it’s one of the higher opposition areas in Auckland. 

“As far as I am concerned, these ongoing rates increases since 2023 are simply unsustainable for ratepayers. Even the Auditor-General has gone on the record with his concerns about this issue. What’s more, they make a mockery of the whole Mr Fix-It charade as people are paying way more than they have ever done at the same time public assets are sold off at record levels.

“In such an environment where the ratepayer is being treated like an ATM machine, it is little wonder there is growing support for a rates cap. Just as worryingly, there appears to be a disturbing indifference to the very real financial pressure many in our community are under, especially those on fixed incomes.”