Last week Marlborough District Councillors approved a series of regulatory fee increases for the 2026/2027 year, after public consultation. The Environment and Planning Committee had earlier adopted the proposed fee changes.
The updated fees cover services under the Food Act, Resource Management Act, Gambling Act and Health Act, including registrations, renewals, compliance work and travel charges. Some charges - such as certain levies, disbursements and actual-cost items - remain unchanged.
A separate report recommended adopting the Resource Management Compliance and Monitoring Charging Policy and Fees Schedule. Recent legislative changes now allow councils to recover a wider range of compliance and enforcement costs.
The new schedule introduces charges for investigating and responding to confirmed breaches of the Resource Management Act and for the issuing, administration and enforcement of abatement notices and enforcement orders. This ensures that those generating compliance costs contribute directly to their recovery, rather than the general ratepayer.
The Policy and Schedule also reduces the annual fee for each additional water meter under one consent, reflecting proportional cost recovery for subsequent meters. Three submissions were received, with most supporting the proposal.
The Building Control Group Fees and Charges Policy was adopted with no changes following one public submission. The updated schedule includes a 3.1 per cent CPI increase and targeted adjustments.
The changes reflect recent Government legislated amendments and are essential for maintaining effective regulatory services while ensuring costs are recovered.
The new fees and charges take effect from 1 July 2026 and will be available on Council’s website
