Staff undertaking the job of Central Otago District Council’s next Long Term Plan (2027-2037) say they are working in a constrained financial environment.

But there is still time to include new projects, group manager - business support Saskia RIgharts told the Vincent Community Board on Tuesday.

“If there was a grand idea about an adventure playground that someone came up with, and they have some co-funding, and if the VCB said let's put in $100k, this would be amazing - with that kind of stuff, the door is still not closed,” she said.

The LTP team will be working on budgets once it has talked to all of the community boards around the district about their priorities (museums, swimming pools, etc), with a report then back to council.

The council’s finance team told the VCB that they were operating with a really high degree of uncertainty around the future of local Government, and so the LTP was in a constrained space.

The council’s average rates increase for 2026 is set at 7.5%, but the Government has proposed 4% rates cap for councils moving forward.

The LTP (2027-2037) process includes several major milestones before the final document is adopted in June 2027.

A full rates review is scheduled for June 2026, followed by community consultation. Budgets for the 2027–2037 period are due in August 2026, but the final audit and sign-off of the LTP won’t happen until mid-2027.

Council started its LTP workshops with community boards before Christmas, designed to start long-term thinking before wider public engagement begins this year.

Community input will form a significant part of the drafting process as the district plans for future growth, infrastructure, services and investment.

The LTP will set the direction for the next decade, balancing financial pressures, legislative changes and the needs of Central Otago’s communities.

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