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Aucklanders have had their say on the 2025/2026 Annual Plan, with more than 13,000 pieces of feedback received by Auckland Council during the recent consultation from individuals, groups and organisations.
The draft plan focuses on delivering the second year of the Long-term Plan 2024-2034 and includes an opportunity to consider the funding of events and destination marketing, and the priorities of local boards.
The council says the feedback shows support for the overall plan, including the bed night visitor levy concept and extending the refuse targeted rate to Franklin and Rodney areas. Feedback on each local board’s priorities will be shared with those boards.
Overall, the Annual Plan 2025-2026 consultation showed (of those individuals who addressed the plan overall) that 27 per cent support all of the proposed plan; 45 per cent support most of the plan; 15 per cent did not support most of it; 7 per cent do not support any of the plan and 6 per cent don’t know.
A possible bed night visitor levy to help fund destination marketing and events was supported by 60 percent of individuals who responded on the issue; 27 percent did not support it; and 13 percent submitted ‘other’ or ‘don’t know’.
Most of the organisations and Māori groups that responded to the bed night visitor levy supported it.
Budget Committee chair Greg Sayers says it is great to see such a wide range of Aucklanders getting involved in giving feedback.
“It’s positive to see Aucklanders taking the time to read our plans and give feedback on the aspects that are important to them. That can now be included in the decision-making process,” Cr Sayers said.
“The feedback is a good representation of our communities – participation was spread across our local board areas and demographics, such as age and ethnicity.”
Many Aucklanders also provided general feedback on other issues on their minds. When asked about extending the refuse targeted rate to Franklin and Rodney, 57 per cent of individuals supported the proposal, 21 per cent opposed it, and 22 per cent gave ‘other’ responses or were unsure. The rate helps fund waste collection across most local board areas
Many individuals who supported the overall plan also provided additional comments. Of these, 24 per cent called for better public transport and more funding for it, 19 per cent raised concerns about rate increases, and another 19 per cent emphasised the need to invest in core infrastructure.
Organisations emphasised fairer community funding (including support for the fairer funding model for local boards and concerns about its redistributive effects), investment in infrastructure, and suggested greater community involvement in planning for the annual plan, the council says.
Info at akhaveyoursay.nz/ourplan.
The council’s Budget Committee and Governing Body will consider the Annual Plan this month and next, with the plan to be implemented for the financial year beginning July 1.
