Have Your Say on Auckland Council Annual Plan 2026/2027

Grey Lynn residents: Have your say on the Auckland Council Annual Plan 2026/2027 before 29 March. Your feedback shapes our community.

The Auckland Council Annual Plan 2026/2027 is out for consultation right now. As Grey Lynn residents, this is our chance to make our voices heard on decisions that will directly affect our neighbourhood and the wider Waitematā area.

The Annual Plan sets out what Council intends to spend and invest over the coming financial year, taking effect from 1 July 2026. This year’s plan is built around the third year of the Long-term Plan 2024–2034, with a focus on financial discipline, infrastructure investment, and getting better value from every ratepayer dollar.

What’s being proposed?

The big headline is a proposed 7.9% average rates increase for residential properties. The majority of that increase is directly tied to the $235 million annual cost of opening and operating the City Rail Link (CRL), a project that will significantly reshape how Aucklanders get around the city.

Across the city, Council is proposing to invest $3.9 billion in infrastructure – roads, public transport, parks and community facilities – and fund $5.3 billion in essential services that Aucklanders rely on every day.

What does it mean for our area?

As part of the Waitematā Local Board zone, Grey Lynn has a real stake in how local funds are allocated. The Local Board has been allocated $14.1 million for capital investment and $39.1 million for operational spend in 2026/2027, covering everything from community centres and libraries to parks, environmental programs and local events.

But the Board is also facing cost pressures, and several changes to local service levels are on the table. There’s plenty worth reading, thinking about, and responding to.

Your feedback genuinely matters

Council consultations can sometimes feel like going through the motions, but this one is the real deal. Elected members are required to consider the feedback received before finalising the plan in May, and submissions from engaged local communities do influence outcomes.

We at Grey Lynn Residents Association encourage every resident to take a few minutes to find out what’s proposed and share your views.

You can read the full Auckland Council Annual Plan 2026/2027 consultation document and submit your feedback online at akhaveyoursay.nz/ourplan. The deadline is 11:59 PM (midnight) on Sunday 29 March 2026.

Prefer to talk it through in person? Come along to the drop-in session at Grey Lynn Farmers Market, 210 Richmond Road, on Sunday 29 March from 10am to 12 midday. Council representatives will be there to answer questions and take your feedback on the spot.

This is your community. Make sure your voice is part of shaping it.