Source: Northland Regional Council
Northland Regional Council’s latest Annual Report, covering the previous 12 months, included confirmation of a decision for a 0% increase in total rates and the start of a potentially major shake-up of local government across Taitokerau.
Reflecting on the recent adoption of the council’s Annual Report for the 2025/26 financial year, council chair Pita Tipene says holding rates for the following financial year 2026/27 (which the council had confirmed in June) was council’s tangible way of standing with its people and easing pressure where it’s needed.
“Times are tough for the people and communities of Taitokerau and council recognises that affordability remains a critical issue.”
Chair Tipene says that among other successes of the past year, highlights were:
- The Regional Plan for Northland became fully operative. After nearly nine years of development, consultation and hearings, the Regional Plan for Northland became fully operative in late March, establishing a single integrated framework for managing the region’s natural and physical resources.
- Supporting tangata whenua capability and environmental leadership across Taitokerau, including freshwater monitoring wānanga, biosecurity partnerships, kaitiaki-led restoration projects, iwi and hapū environmental monitoring initiatives, and scholarships that provided Māori rangatahi with valuable work experience opportunities.
- More than $1.33 million was invested in sustainable land management. Council allocated over $1.33 million through the Hill Country Erosion Fund, Environment Fund, and Tāngata Whenua and Community Catchment Group Fund, supporting 83 projects focused on sustainable land use and freshwater improvement.
- Continued expansion of community-led pest control. Through 37 Biofund grants and support for community pest control areas, council invested $862,000 in biosecurity initiatives and established or renewed seven projects covering more than 4200 hectares.
- Major gains in Predator Free Northland programmes. Landscape-scale predator eradication continued across Taitokerau, including 4000 hectares declared possum-free at Whangārei Heads and significant progress across Pēwhairangi Whānui (Bay of Islands) programmes.
- Environmental education reached more than 25,000 young people. Council’s education programmes partnered with 149 schools and early childhood centres, engaging more than 25,000 tamariki and students in environmental learning and action.
Meanwhile Chair Tipene says over the past year central government had also signalled one of the biggest potential shifts on the local government scene – both locally and nationally – since 1989.
He says while Local Government reorganisation was secondary to NRC performing its core functions well, the council had been working with its district counterparts to explore opportunities to strengthen local government arrangements in ways that best meet the needs of Northland communities.
“While the government has currently paused the process until after next month’s election, our focus remains on achieving better outcomes for Taitokerau, reflecting our unique environment, communities and partnerships, including those with tāngata whenua.”
He says over the year the council had also worked diligently alongside its district council partners to ensure Northland was in the best possible position to implement central government’s reform of the Resource Management Act.
“These reforms provide an opportunity for Northland’s councils to take a coordinated, region-wide approach to planning for the future.”
During the 12 months covered by the report the council – which had seen four new councillors elected at last year’s local body elections – had also endorsed a new strategic direction, setting out where it was heading over the next three years, and how it would get there.
Chair Tipene says the high-level document brought together council’s vision, mission, values, long-term outcomes and the key shifts needed to get there, and shapes how it plans, invests, and works with others.
“It will also help shape our draft Long Term Plan 2027-2037 and guide decisions about priorities and investment.”