Proposed Fees and Charges 2026/27

Proposed Fees and Charges

We're reviewing fees and charges for 2026/27. We do this so we can keep providing great community services and facilities, process applications, and meet our legal responsibilities. If we adopt the new fees and charges after consultation and hearings, they are planned to come into effect from 1 July 2026.

You can make a submission on the proposed Fees and Charges 2026/27 from now until 5pm, 29 May 2026.

What are fees and charges?

Fees and charges help us pay for services and activities. Instead of covering the full cost through rates, some costs are recovered from the people who use a service. This helps share costs between ratepayers and service users. In general, services that benefit the wider community - like libraries and sports fields - are funded more through rates.

Why are they changing?

Our costs have increased due to inflation, higher interest rates, and other national and global factors, including rising fuel prices. Like many councils across Aotearoa New Zealand, we need to review fees and charges to reflect these higher costs. Some new fees and increases are proposed so we can better balance what is paid through rates and what is paid by service users, and so we can cover the true cost of delivering services. We are really mindful of cost of living pressures on households and businesses, and we’ve worked hard to keep fees and charges as fair and affordable as possible.

What we're proposing

The full list of proposed changes is outlined in the 'Proposed Fees and Charges Schedule for 2026/27'. You can find a hard copy at Whakatāne District Council or Murupara Service Centre too. The schedule shows the current fee alongside the proposed new fee.

At a glance, we're proposing to:

  1. Update Three Waters fees and charges to align with Local Water Done Well and the Backflow Prevention Policy.
  2. Introduce new fees and charges for new services, or where costs are not currently being recovered.
  3. Increase some existing fees and charges where costs have risen beyond inflation or are not in line with market rates.
  4. Apply inflationary adjustments to fees including Resource Consent and Food Control fees.

We're really keen to hear your feedback between now and 29 May, 2026. You're also welcome to speak to your submission at an upcoming hearing.

We're reviewing fees and charges for 2026/27. We do this so we can keep providing great community services and facilities, process applications, and meet our legal responsibilities. If we adopt the new fees and charges after consultation and hearings, they are planned to come into effect from 1 July 2026.

You can make a submission on the proposed Fees and Charges 2026/27 from now until 5pm, 29 May 2026.

What are fees and charges?

Fees and charges help us pay for services and activities. Instead of covering the full cost through rates, some costs are recovered from the people who use a service. This helps share costs between ratepayers and service users. In general, services that benefit the wider community - like libraries and sports fields - are funded more through rates.

Why are they changing?

Our costs have increased due to inflation, higher interest rates, and other national and global factors, including rising fuel prices. Like many councils across Aotearoa New Zealand, we need to review fees and charges to reflect these higher costs. Some new fees and increases are proposed so we can better balance what is paid through rates and what is paid by service users, and so we can cover the true cost of delivering services. We are really mindful of cost of living pressures on households and businesses, and we’ve worked hard to keep fees and charges as fair and affordable as possible.

What we're proposing

The full list of proposed changes is outlined in the 'Proposed Fees and Charges Schedule for 2026/27'. You can find a hard copy at Whakatāne District Council or Murupara Service Centre too. The schedule shows the current fee alongside the proposed new fee.

At a glance, we're proposing to:

  1. Update Three Waters fees and charges to align with Local Water Done Well and the Backflow Prevention Policy.
  2. Introduce new fees and charges for new services, or where costs are not currently being recovered.
  3. Increase some existing fees and charges where costs have risen beyond inflation or are not in line with market rates.
  4. Apply inflationary adjustments to fees including Resource Consent and Food Control fees.

We're really keen to hear your feedback between now and 29 May, 2026. You're also welcome to speak to your submission at an upcoming hearing.

Page last updated: 29 Apr 2026, 04:11 PM