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Waikato District Council - Te Kaunihera aa Takiwaa o Waikato

Long Term Plan

The Long-Term Plan (LTP) is developed every three years, and sets the projects, budget and financial strategy for 10 years. 

It's our roadmap for the future. It sets out our vision, priorities, and how we’ll fund and deliver services and projects that matter most to our communities. 

2025-2034 Long Term Plan (LTP) 

You might notice something different this time - we’re creating a nine-year plan instead of the usual ten, and there’s a good reason for that. 

Last year we took the Government’s one-off offer to produce an Enhanced Annual Plan (EAP) to allow more time to confirm our options for waters and funding for roads as well as other challenges facing our district.  

Now we’ve developed a clear proposed plan, we need your feedback on to help us make the right decisions for our community.  

We’re proposing a general rate increase of 4.25% in the first year (2025/26) to ensure we can maintain essential services while keeping within budget.  

There are two types of rates: general rates (which includes a fixed and a variable charge) and targeted rates.  

  • The general rate is for services and activities that all residents may benefit from. It is a variable rate based on the value of your property. The proposed general rates increase for 2025/26 is 4.25%. The Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC) is part of the general rate, but is a fixed charge regardless of the value of your property. It means all ratepayers pay the same minimum amount for council services that everyone benefits from. 
  • Targeted rates are for services that benefit properties in specific locations, for example, rubbish collections, water supplies and maintenance for your local community hall. Our draft 2025-2034 LTP Consultation Document details the proposed targeted rates changes. 

You can check the proposed rate changes on the rates calculator: Rates Information Database

Our focus is on the ‘must-haves’ - delivering essential services efficiently while balancing costs. 

About 66 per cent of our overall budget is funded by rates. A large portion comes from other sources like fees and charges (when someone pays for a Council service they use), government subsidies, development contributions and grants.  

On average, rates make up roughly 4% of the average weekly household budget, and they fund a whole range of essential services like: 

  • Your drinking water 
  • What you flush down the loo 
  • Your rubbish and recycling services 
  • Stormwater  
  • Maintaining over 2,400km of roads we use every day 
  • Libraries 
  • Parks and reserves  
  • Sports grounds, playgrounds and recreation areas 
  • Pool facilities 
  • Community halls 
  • Cemeteries 

We’re committed to keeping rate increases as low as possible while ensuring we continue to provide quality services for you and your whaanau. 

Thanks for having your say

Community feedback closed on 11 May 2025 – and we really appreciate everyone who took the time to share their thoughts.

We received over 550 submissions from people and organisations across the  Waikato district. Whether you gave feedback on roading, water, waste, community halls, or other important local issues, your voice will help shape the next nine years for our district. What you told us will also help guide future rates from 1 July 2025.

We held 26 community sessions around the district and online, giving people the chance to ask questions about the draft 2025–2034 Long Term Plan and chat with their local Councillor about what matters most to their community.

More than 70 people are expected to speak to their submissions, with hearings happening on 20 May and 21 May 2025 at the Council Chambers in Ngaaruawaahia. You can watch the hearings live or catch up later on our website.

Councillors will carefully consider all the feedback before making final decisions. The final Long Term Plan will be adopted by 30 June 2025.


Missed a session?

Check out these recordings from our online community sessions.

FAQs

The LTP is the Council's strategic plan that sets out priorities, projects and funding for the next decade.

It outlines when and how the Council intends to invest in infrastructure, services and community projects to support growth and development. 

The LTP impacts rates, services, and the future of our district. It ensures the Council has a clear direction for how it will maintain essential services and plan for future challenges. 
The 2025-2034 LTP will be adopted on 30 June 2025 and will come into effect on 1 July 2025. 
Public consultation runs from 11 April to 11 May 2025. During this time, you can provide feedback on the proposed plan. 

Why is this important?  

Submissions from the community provide an opportunity for you to give feedback on topics that you care about. This helps Council work towards building liveable, thriving, connected communities

What you do

Before making a submission, it’s a good idea to understand what’s being proposed. 

  • Visit our website to read the key topics and areas where we’re seeking feedback. 
  • You can also find supporting information, like fact sheets and FAQs, online. 

There are a few ways to have your say. Choose the one that suits you best: 

  1. Email: Send your feedback to [insert email address]. 
  2. In Writing: Fill out a printed submission/feedback form and post or drop it off at your nearest Council office/library. 
  3. In Person: Visit us at one of our Council offices or libraries, and we’ll help you fill out your submission/feedback form. 
  4. Oral submission/Feedback: Visit us at one of our Council offices or libraries, and a staff member will be able to assist with your submission/feedback. 
  • Answer the specific questions in the form. Some may be required, and others you can choose whether you want to answer. 
  • Add any other comments or suggestions you may have about the topic.  
  • Tell us a bit about yourself: your name, contact details, and whether you’re representing an organisation or submitting as an individual.  This information is to help us keep in contact with you to let you know about any developments or outcomes.  
  • We do publish the responses to engagements through our agendas. Your contact details will never be published. You can request to remove your name from the public documents as well.  
Once you’ve completed your submission, send it through before the deadline. Late submissions may not be accepted, so make sure you check the closing date on our website

What Council does 

Review and considering 

  • Council reviews every single submission and may make changes based on community feedback. 

Final Decision 

  • After considering all submissions, a final decision is made, and the results are shared with the community. 
  • Everyone who makes a submission gets a response from a member of our Council team. 

Where you can find information

Information, and feedback forms, for all Council engagements and consultations can be found on our website at https://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/say-it 

You can also find information at any of our offices or libraries. 

Need help?

If you have any questions or need assistance, give us a call or visit your nearest Council office or library. We’re here to help you have your say! 

You can find more information and share your views here. Hard copy submission forms are also available at our Council offices and libraries. 
The Council will review all feedback during hearings, consider any necessary changes, and adopt the final LTP in June 2025. 
Yes. You can request to present your submission in person at a Council hearing during the consultation period. Simply tick the box on your hard copy or online feedback form. 

Targeted rates are specific charges added to a property's rates bill to fund services or infrastructure that benefit a particular group of ratepayers rather than the entire district.

Information about targeted rates is included in the consultation document, and you can see how your property may be impacted using our rates calculator. 

We’re looking to change the way we deliver water services because of new Government legislation requiring all councils to submit a Water Services Delivery Plan by September 2025. This is part of the Local Water Done Well programme, aimed at ensuring New Zealand’s water services are safe, reliable, and financially sustainable into the future.. 
 
While change is required, we get to decide how it happens — and your input will help shape the path we take. 
 
The council ‘s preferred option is to form a new Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) with Hamilton City Council to manage water services. We anticipate that this will bring some relief to ratepayers in future years, but it will take up a good part of this LTP – about five to 10 years - to realise the full benefits. This is one of the major matters in our LTP that we would like your feedback on. Learn all about waters here.

$162.7 million of our capital projects are related to growth, which developers contribute to through development contributions. 24 per cent of this is proposed to be loan funded, which impacts our debt levels. Debt is set to peak in 2025/26 at $347 million, and ranges from $152 million in the year 2026/27 to $283 million in year 2033/34.  

As a result of careful financial management, we have a credit rating of AA+, the highest available for a council, and that helps keep interest rates on our debt at a low level. 

Current plans

2024-25 Enhanced Annual Plan

pdf,  14748 KB Download

Long Term Plan 2021-31

pdf,  8736 KB Download

Related Documents

LTP 2021-31 Capital Projects

pdf,  443 KB Download

LTP 2021-31 Un-funded Projects

pdf,  54 KB Download

LTP factsheets by ward 2025 - 2034

Last updated 20 May 2025, 12:19 pm

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