Summary of the Annual Plan 2025/2026 (English)

We're getting on with it

Our proposed Annual Plan 2025/2026 focuses on getting on with year two of our Long-term Plan (LTP) 2024-2034. It continues to progress the financial and physical resilience committed to in our LTP, while building a more efficient council focused on value for money for Aucklanders.

In 2025/2026 that includes prioritising investment in transport, water and enabling local boards to better respond to the needs of their communities.

Our proposed annual plan does this in a way that continues to recognise cost of living concerns while providing for our communities of greatest need.

Bed night visitor levy

In our Long-term Plan 2024-2034, we said we would continue to fund cultural festivals like Diwali but that without a 'bed night' visitor levy, we would have a $7 million budget shortfall for funding of major events such as the ASB Classic, Auckland Marathon and Auckland Writers Festival.

A 'bed night' visitor levy requires central government legislation. As we consult on this annual plan, we continue to work with central government on this. They have yet to provide a commitment, or assurance that this will happen.

As we continue to advocate for this, we welcome your views about introducing a 'bed night' visitor levy paid by visitors who stay in short-stay commercial accommodation to fund major events and destination management and marketing activity.

Delivering on our vision

We are creating an Auckland that is beautiful, thriving and safe for all Aucklanders.

Our proposed annual plan supports this vision by:

  • delivering key programmes across seven areas of investment: transport, water, built environment, natural environment, community, economic and cultural development and well-managed local government
  • delivering $4 billion of capital expenditure for the 2025/2026 financial year: investing in assets such as roads, pipes and transport infrastructure to provide further services to Aucklanders and build a more resilient region
  • implementing fairer funding for local boards. This enables local boards to better respond to the needs of their communities. The annual plan begins to address the funding imbalances between the 21 local boards that have been in place since Auckland Council was established in 2010
  • setting an overall rates increase of 5.80 per cent for the average value residential property for 2025/2026, or around $223 a year ($4.29 a week). This is in line with what we said in the LTP.

We encourage you to read more in our consultation document before giving your feedback.

Please share your thoughts through this consultation on what you think of our proposed annual plan.

Ways to have your say

To have your say on these issues or anything in the budget that is important to you, you can:

Feedback must be received by Friday 28 March.

Final decisions will be made in June 2025 when you can visit Annual Plan 2025/2026 (annual budget) to read the final budget.

Have your say now

Annual plan summary document and feedback form

Summary of the Annual Plan 2025/2026 [PDF 609KB]

Annual Plan 2025/2026 Consultation Document Feedback Form [PDF 2.1MB]

Illustration of five Auckland Council staff standing behind the words "We're getting on with it". The person in the middle is holding a graphic of Auckland with the words "Our plan".