Canterbury Regional Council's commissioners say services won't be reduced, in spite of spending reductions and lower than expected rates increases.
Rates rises of nearly 9% proposed in the draft annual plan have been cut to 3.3%.
More than $2 million has been saved on new bus contracts and $1 million on work programmes, and the number of households projected to get assistance to convert to clean-burning woodburners has also been reduced, at a saving of almost $500,000.
The acting chair of the commissioners, David Caygill, says subsidies are available from other sources as well as the council.
