Annual Plan 2026/27

The Chatham Islands Council adopted the 2026/27 Annual Plan on Thursday 25 June 2026.

This Plan builds on our Long-Term Plan 2024-34 and our goals remain unchanged: to support a strong, resilient, and thriving Chatham Islands community. While progress has been made, there is still more work to do to provide what our community relies on every day. Safe drinking water, workable waste systems, reliable shipping, good roads, and enough housing, are all essential for our people to live well on the Islands and allow for future opportunities.

Financial sustainability continues to be a key focus for Council. Providing services on the Chatham Islands costs much more than on the mainland, and our small number of ratepayers cannot fund everything on their own. We rely heavily on Crown funding to help cover these costs, but this funding does not align with cost movements and is not always certain. This means we must make careful choices about what we can afford and accept that not everything the community needs can be delivered straight away.

We also know that the cost of rates is a real concern for many households and businesses. Like councils across the country, we face rising costs and more regulatory requirements. 

Council is committed to keeping spending under close control and focusing on what matters most. In the last Long-Term Plan, Council agreed to a modest rates increase above inflation to help meet our essential costs, and a similar approach has been approved for 2026/27.

Council is also placing a strong emphasis on good governance and sound financial management. We are working to ensure that clear systems and processes are in place, so spending is transparent and well managed. We want our community to have confidence that every dollar is used carefully and in the best interests of the Islands.

Over the coming year, Council will continue to work with Central Government to seek fair and ongoing funding for our day-to-day activities and critical infrastructure. We know the year will bring challenges. But by working together, being clear about what we can and cannot do, and focusing on what is best for the community, we will continue to move forward as a resilient and connected Islands community.

Download the Annual Plan 2026/27

Download previous annual plans