Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton has defended a second consecutive double-digit rates hike, saying the council is grappling with rising costs and rapid growth pressures.

Ratepayers are facing a 14.2 percent increase this year, following last year’s 14.9 percent rise.

The council’s decision not to consult the public on the latest Annual Plan has also drawn criticism from several residents’ groups.

Mayor Broughton told chrislynchmedia.com, he understood the affordability concerns but warned that delaying investment would be more costly in the long run.

“We know any rates increase is tough on households. Setting rates is a balancing act. We’re trying to keep costs down while still providing the services people need now and in the future. Looking after what we already have and planning ahead costs money, but not investing can end up costing even more later,” he said.

“While our rate increase is 14.2% this year, our rate increases on average over the past 10 years have been 8.5%. We are also forecasting lower rate increases in the next few years. This year’s rise is driven by rising costs, especially for roads, water, and wastewater, and by our rapid growth.”

Broughton said that despite the sharp increase, Selwyn still compared favourably with other districts.

“Even with this year’s rate increase, Selwyn still has the lowest average rates per person in Canterbury, and we’re much lower than other fast-growing places like Queenstown and Tauranga.”

However, Selwyn District Councillor Lydia Gliddon, who is also running for mayor, strongly disagreed with the council’s decision to bypass consultation.

“I voted in favour of public consultation on this year’s Annual Plan. When ratepayers are facing increases of 14.2% and in some cases much higher as 14.2% is the average I believe they deserve the opportunity to have their say,” Gliddon said.

“Consultation isn’t just a formality, it’s a democratic right, especially when we’re talking about how public money is spent. The Annual Plan is our chance to reflect and respond to current pressures and adjust. There were items in the budget that could have been scaled back or removed, but without consultation, there was no mandate to do that. Although I saw other councils that did not consult still review their budgets and come back with good savings and outcomes for their community, we should have had the chance to do so.”

Gliddon also criticised the council’s approach to spending, especially regarding the new water services council-controlled organisation.

“Adding to the pressure is the setup of the new water services council-controlled organisation (WSCCO), which is bringing further costs without, in my mind, clear community benefit. I don’t believe SDC has shown the urgency or willingness to drive financial restraint or reduce long-term rates pressure,” she said.

“I understand there is pain in growth, but we must do better. As mayor, I would take a more disciplined approach, focusing on core services, allowing democratic rights of people and councillors to review budgets, and making sure every dollar delivers real value for our community.”

Mayor Broughton rejected the criticism and defended the council’s choice not to consult again this year.

“We received a record 1,500 submissions from the community during last year’s Long-Term Plan consultation. People told us clearly they want investment in the basics, roads, water, and waste, and over 80% of our capital spending is going exactly there,” he said.

“Engaging meaningfully with the community is critical, but so is respecting the feedback we’ve already received less than 12 months ago. Running another round of consultation to ask the same questions would waste time and money. We’re sticking to what the community already told us and getting on with the job.”

The mayor said delaying investment to artificially hold rates down would be irresponsible.

“I hear those concerns, and we work hard to keep costs down where we can, but we cannot ignore the long-term costs of underinvestment. Holding rates down by putting off investment would cost more in the long run. We’d just be passing the problem and higher costs onto our kids.”

“Every district has a different set of pressures. Selwyn has experienced population growth of 165% over the past two decades, the fastest in the country.

That growth drives demand for new infrastructure and services, but also puts pressure on the systems we already have.”

“Some districts may have already made investments we’re just starting, and others may have decided to kick the can of investment down the road. Selwyn’s rates are lower than those high growth areas. What’s clear is that we’re delivering services to a fast-growing population while keeping our per-person rates among the lowest in the country.”

Asked about residents who felt excluded from key decisions, Broughton said communication and transparency remained a priority.

“We are committed to keeping residents informed and engaged, particularly in challenging times. This includes clear communication about why decisions are made, where money is being spent, and what we’re doing to ensure Selwyn remains a great place to live.”

“We encourage residents to get in touch, ask questions, and have their say—whether it’s through formal submissions, community forums, or directly with myself or councillors. All our council meetings and briefings are live streamed and open to the public. This is part of my commitment to council transparency. You can watch and rewatch our meetings anytime. It’s usually only for commercially sensitive reasons that something remains private.”

Councillor Grant Miller was also critical of the lack of public consultation.  “I remain extremely concerned about the scale and forward projection of rates increases. Over a 4 year period the compounding effect of proposed rates rises will be an increase in rates of 70% from the base year of 2024, 2024 15.6%, 2025 14.2%, 2026 13.9% and 2027 13.2%.

“Debt is projected to increase over the 10-year LTP period from 155m to 634m which is likely to be a conservative estimate (debt is increasing by over 100m in this year alone)

“It is not the Mayors sole responsibility to control costs as he is but one vote. However, since joining the Council I have found it has very little tension in the budget setting process. Particularly the way it creates the expenditure side of the budget first then adjusts the revenue (rates) to match the expenditure created.

“Rate increases could be reduced but will require making the hard choices and deferring some “nice to have” projects. As there is no public consultation or hearings there will be no opportunity to do this.”