Council Budget Decisions 2026/27

Removal of the Community Development operational funding budget. 

BACKGROUND 

The Community Development team has a $45,000 operating budget to support local community groups through partnerships, advocacy, and practical help. 

It helps mainly not-for-profit community groups plan and apply for external funding (for example needs assessments, funding applications, and local strategies), and supports tools and training such as the Grant Finder portal, funding clinics, and workshops. 

REMOVAL IMPLICATIONS

With this funding removed, Council will provide less support for community-led projects and capacity-building. Community groups may need to rely more on their own time and can also seek assistance from other agencies in South Canterbury. 

With less help to prepare strong applications, community groups may submit fewer applications for outside funding and securing that funding may be more challenging without that support. 

Removal of Council support may impact smaller community groups and could lead to fewer or smaller community projects over time. 

With this funding removed, the Community Development team will no longer be able to provide: 

• Help that requires funding for needs assessments, planning, and funding applications 
• The Grant Finder portal which connects community organisations with funding opportunities 
• Funding clinics, workshops, and other skills support 

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 Removal of Community Grants funding. 

BACKGROUND 

The Long-Term Plan includes $60,000 a year for community grants. These (usually) small grants help local community groups deliver projects that make a difference in our district. 

Groups often match the grant with fundraising, volunteer time, or other funding. 

A Council grant can also act as starter funding. It shows local backing and can help groups get more money from other external funders. 

As part of the Annual Plan discussions, Council is considering removing this funding this financial year as there are reserves in the Community Board Budgets. 4 

REMOVAL IMPLICATIONS

With the grants removed, there will be less Council financial support available for community projects, however the Community Board can still use their current reserves. Some groups may have to do more fundraising themselves or look elsewhere for help. 

Without this starter funding, it may be harder for groups to attract funding from other organisations. That could mean some projects are scaled back. 

Some local activities may be delayed. Smaller community groups are likely to be most affected. 

Do you have feedback for Councillors?

Removal of the contribution towards a feasibility study for a Twizel community hub. 

BACKGROUND 

When Council developed the Long-Term Plan, staff looked at options for a community hub in Twizel. Councillors supported the idea, but decided Council could not fund or lead the project. The Council therefore assumed any hub would be led by the community. 

To support a community-led approach, the LTP included $30,000 as a possible contribution to a feasibility study, if a community group needed it. Since then, the Twizel Community Care Trust (TCCT) and Radio Twizel have had to leave their current premises. TCCT is now leading a community hub project that includes those organisations, as well as the Council-run Twizel Community Library and Twizel Promotions. Council has supported this work by partnering with TCCT, providing a land lease on Council land, and signing a Memorandum of Understanding for the library space. Council considered this project delivers the hub idea. Council therefore considers the separate $30,000 feasibility study funding is no longer needed and it be removed with minimal impact. 

REMOVAL IMPLICATIONS

The TCCT-led hub project matches Council’s original intent to back a community-led facility in Twizel. Removing the $30,000 allocation does not change current services. The hub development, including space for the Twizel Community Library, will continue through the partnership with TCCT. 

Council’s role has moved from potentially funding a feasibility study to supporting and partnering with the community as the project progresses. The risk of removing this funding is low because the feasibility work has effectively been overtaken by the current project. If the hub needs to grow in future, that can be considered through future planning and budgeting processes. 

Do you have feedback for Councillors? 

Adjusting the schedule of fees and charges 

• Adjusting fees and charges to allow for inflation of 3.1% where appropriate 
• Increasing the charges for Land Information Memorandums (LIMs) and Project Information Memorandums (PIMs) 
• Adding a new charge for Planning and Resource Consenting pre application time. 

BACKGROUND 

Councils set fees and charges for services through a fees and charges schedule. These fees help pay for services and can reduce the amount that needs to be funded through rates. 

The fees and charges schedule was reviewed as part of the 2025/26 Annual Plan, with changes made to areas such as excess water use, hall hire, swimming pool fees, and use of parks and other facilities. A full review will be done through the next Long-Term Plan process in 2027. In the meantime, applying a 3.1% inflation increase (where it makes sense) supports an approach where services are paid by the person requesting the service and can reduce the amount ratepayers subsidise for services that are not fully covered by fees. 

Other changes to fees and charges for the 2026/27 year include an increase in the Land Information Memorandum (LIM’s) and Project Information Memorandums (PIM’s) to cover costs in line with neighbouring Councils and a new charge for Planning/Resource Consenting. Pre-application time in excess of 30 minutes. Both of these are a more user pays approach, lessening the rates required from the community. 

For more information, see Council’s current fees and charges schedule at the link below. 

Fees and Charges 2025/6 (NOTE: takes you to Council's main website.)

Other decisions

Following the completion of the workshops, Councillors noted there was no contingency within the budgets for unexpected events including but not limited to weather events, extraordinary snow clearance, unfunded Central Government requirements. 

Officers were asked to review the five years prior and to bring that information to Council to understand what those unexpected events might be. The breakdown demonstrated more than weather events and included things like fire and asbestos removal. 

Councillors considered it prudent to provide an accumulating budget for unexpected events. Councils preferred amount for the provision was $200,000, funded through the Capital Value general rate. Therefore in recognition of the history of unexpected events and the expenditure associated, Council wishes to make provision for such events. 

The use of the budget would be subject to approval from the Chief Executive and the Mayor and subsequently reported to the finance committee. Should any money be unspent in the that financial year it will be carried forward into the following year. 6 

However, this is one of the decisions still to be confirmed. 

All other key decisions are highlighted in the reports to Council dated 07 April 2026, and the outstanding decisions to be made will be presented to Council on the 26th of May. These reports found on Councils website under Meetings and Agendas. 

Do you have feedback for Councillors?