Organisational overview

The organisation performed strongly in the delivery of its core services in 2025/26. At the end of quarter four, indicative results show that 33 of 36 service measures (92%) were achieved for the year. The service measures that were not achieved were:

• Service Measure 1 - Given the legislation previously noted, it was outside of our control to achieve Service Measure 1 by notifying the Regional Policy Statement in 2025/26. 
• Service Measure 2 - While making substantial improvement from the previous year and an increased target from 50% in 2024/25 to 95% in this year, Service Measure 2 (processing resource consent applications within statutory timeframes) was not achieved. Processing timeframes reached 82.7% in 2025/26, from 62.1% in 2024/25. 
• Service Measure 32 - Service Measure 32 (percentage of bus and ferry services starting on time) was narrowly missed, with an indicative year-end result of 94.5% against the 95% target - bus services reached 94.5% and ferry services 91.3%. The bus result reflects road maintenance and traffic congestion, particularly around Te Kaha events. For ferries, it reflects longer boarding times on the newer, larger vessel, weather, harbour movements and increased weekend demand.

Financial performance 

Indicative results show a $12.8 million surplus for the year, $16.5 million ahead of the budgeted deficit of $3.7 million. Combined expenditure across the three core services was $21.2 million (6.0%) below the budget set in the Annual Plan 2025/26. 

By core service, the underspends were $12.4 million (7.4%) for Public Transport, $8.2 million (6.1%) for Environmental Regulation and Protection, and $0.6 million (1.1%) for Community Preparedness and Response to Hazards. Material items at an individual service level creating variances to budget were: 

• $9.2 million (Bus and Ferry Services) reduction in expenditure, due to deferred electric bus Road User Charges, unspent PT Network Optimisation budget, delivery of Route 85 (Rolleston/City) improvements by a private operator, a favourable MyWay contract award, lower-than-assumed NZTA indexation, and delays in project implementation of the National Ticketing Solution. A number of smaller variances make up the difference to $12.4 million for Public Transport. 
• $7.7 million (Regulatory framework service), reduction in expenditure due to Resource Management Act (RMA) "Plan Stop" provisions meaning we didn't borrow to fund servicing costs for the debt we would have drawn down, and lower resourcing needs.   
  
• $2.9 million (Pest Management) increase in expenditure due to additional work being funded through the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme. Revenue exceeded budget by $4.1 million, primarily due to additional grant income received for the programme. 

Revenue was $4.7 million (1.3%) below budget and was impacted by lower cost recovery from our Consenting service (60% versus the target of 66%) and Compliance service (30% versus the target of 50%), with the shortfall funded by general rates. Public Transport also had lower grant revenue which is based on actual expenditure. Please note all results in this report are indicative and unaudited at the time of preparation. 

Key points for quarter four:

Overall, the organisation performed strongly in the delivery of its core services in 2025/26. The highlights across the three core services in quarter four were: 

• The Council adopted the Annual Plan 2026/27 on 24 June, with a significantly lower rates revenue increase of 2.4% than was agreed in the Long-Term Plan.
• The Council approved Plan Change 8 (notified on 4 July 2026) with a common-sense view to making it easier to establish constructed wetlands and change use of water to less intensive activities or to allow critical infrastructure.
• Public transport patronage grew by 7.3% during the quarter compared with the same period last year. Across 2025/26, 15.2 million passenger trips were recorded, representing a 0.7% increase in demand for public transport services compared with 2024/25.
• The Network Review garnered 11,738 submissions, the largest ever for Council.
• Ten new electric vehicles were introduced to the MyWay Timaru fleet, making it 100% electric.
• Just under 1.5 million contactless payments were made through the National Ticketing Solution, Motu Move, between its introduction in November 2025 and 30 June 2026.
• Consultation on the proposed Aranui service trial was completed in quarter four, with more than 870 submissions received on the proposed route. Feedback informed final service design decisions, and the 12-month trial remains on track to begin in quarter one 2026/27.
• Delivery of flood protection works continued, including progression of Rangitata River stopbank construction, floodgate upgrades in Kaiapoi, rock stockpiling in Kaikoura and gravel extraction in the north branch Hakatere Ashburton River.
• A total of $1.1 million was allocated to 58 successful applicants across three community contestable funds: the Waitaha Action to Impact Fund, the Canterbury Water Management Strategy Action Plan Fund, and the Christchurch and Banks Peninsula Biodiversity Fund.
• Demand for natural hazards information remained strong, with 87 requests for flood, land and general hazard advice received and 98% responded to within 10 working days, against a 90% target.
• Flood monitoring and warning systems were activated during periods of elevated alpine river flows and continued to operate reliably, with work progressing on the Flood Warning System improvement project to strengthen the resilience of Canterbury Regional Council's flood warning network.
• Biosecurity staff completed their inspections to ensure 100% of known active Eradication and Progressive Containment pest sites and applied control measures where achieved, meeting the year's target.
• Progress was made with dust management in Yaldhurst, North-West Christchurch. Affected residents, community and industry engagement informed the design of a proposed 12-24-month monitoring programme to strengthen the local evidence base.
• Of resource consent applications lodged and decided since 1 January 2026, 98.7% met statutory timeframes.