Every dollar you contribute in rates helps Auckland Council deliver hundreds of services that Aucklanders rely on every day, as well as essential infrastructure upgrades that will allow us all to thrive for generations to come.
As we start delivering on this year’s Annual Plan, here’s a snapshot of how your rates are working to make Auckland a region that is beautiful, thriving and safe.
More than bins and books
Most Aucklanders know that rates help pay for rubbish collections and libraries.
Did you know they also help the council to deliver:
- over 100 million trips on buses, trains, and ferries
- 7.5 million library visits and 5.8 million digital checkouts
- maintenance of 21,000km of stormwater pipes and streams
- food safety checks and grades for 7,500 eateries
- maintenance on more than 7,000 kilometres of Auckland roads
- up to 27 million rubbish and 13 million recycling collections a year
- water quality information on Safeswim for 163 beaches, lagoons, streams and lakes
- responses to around 16,000 roaming dog complaints
- emergency management and response for 1.8 million Aucklanders
- care for 28 regional parks, 4000 local parks including more than 900 playgrounds across the region.
That’s just a snapshot of the many ways your rates help us to keep the region running.
Of course, a great city isn’t just one that functions well. Your rates also help bring the city to life by supporting major events such as Pasifika, Diwali and the Auckland Lantern Festival, along with attractions like galleries, museums and Auckland Zoo.
Investing in Auckland's future
To ensure our growing city can thrive now and in the future, we’re investing $3.6 billion this year into transport, water and community infrastructure.
This will include delivering on Auckland's biggest milestones in decades with the opening of the City Rail Link. As New Zealand's largest infrastructure project, it’s set to transform the city's transport network, reducing pressure on roads and making it faster and easier for Aucklanders across the region to get around.
We’re also prioritising projects that will make communities more resilient and better connected. That includes programmes like Making Space for Water, which is helping communities become more resilient to flooding, alongside investments in cleaner waterways and upgraded parks, community facilities and town centres across Auckland's 21 local board areas.
Making every dollar count
Keeping rates as affordable as possible, while delivering value for money and maintaining council services, is a key priority.
This year, Auckland Council is targeting $106 million in savings, building on already achieved savings of more than $500 million between 2023-2026.
To achieve these savings, we’re reviewing services to ensure they deliver value, improving the way projects are delivered, making better use of technology and generating more income other than rates. In fact, for every $1 collected in rates, Auckland Council raises almost $1.40 from other sources, including public transport fares, consenting fees, grants, development contributions and investment returns.
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