Community voice shapes priorities for council for next three years

Published on 29 June 2026

After listening to the community’s views on affordability, core services, value for money and the future direction of the district, Whanganui District Council’s elected members have set priorities for the remaining three years of the council’s triennium.

Anchored in Te Awa Tupua and the Strategy for Whanganui, the priorities provide a practical framework for decision-making, investment and service delivery through the rest of the triennium.

Elected members worked collectively to develop the priorities, reflecting what they have heard from the community about affordability, essential services and the future direction of the district. The four priorities are: leading through partnership, prioritised service delivery, high performance, and actively engaging in reform to benefit Whanganui.

Mayor Andrew says the priorities are intended to give the council clear focus, support deliberate choices and to make sure its effort is directed to the areas the community has said matter most to Whanganui.

“Leading through partnership has to be at the forefront – it’s about investing in relationships with Iwi and Hapū, colleague councils, central government and its agencies, and our community, business and not-for-profit sectors,” Mayor Andrew says.

With money tight, councillors know the council needs to be disciplined and concentrate on the services people rely on and doing the basics well, so ratepayers feel their rates are being used where it matters most.

“That includes finding the balance between affordability and delivering essential infrastructure and services”, says Mayor Andrew.

“It’s about being clear about the deliberate trade-offs we’re already making and going to have to make. The council can’t do everything and we will need to be clear into the future on what’s prioritised, what’s scaled back and what’s stopped.

“It involves taking a hard look at legacy issues and decisions of the past such as the New Zealand International Commmercial Pilots Academy (NZICPA) to ensure the decisions of the past are fit for the future.”

He says there’s always room for improvement and lifting performance for consistent delivery across the council and partner organisations is another priority.

Mayor Andrew says the priorities are about discipline and realism as well as ambition.

“We can’t do everything – it’s about doing the right things and the basics well, and making sure Whanganui gets strong outcomes for the future.”

The priorities can be found on the council’s website: Triennium priorities 2025-2028 Whanganui District Council

ENDS