The Selwyn District Council claims it has “the lowest rates” in Canterbury, but not everyone is convinced.

Local ratepayers might actually be feeling hard done by as they face a 14.2% average rate increase this year - one of the steeper rises of the country's councils. It comes on the back of a 14.9% increase last year.

Sewlyn is one of New Zealand's fastest growing regions and includes Rolleston, Lincoln, Prebbleton.

Selwyn calculated the 'lowest rates' claim on a per capita rates average, comparing it to other councils based on 2023/24 data.

Mayor Sam Broughton said there is no consistent or agreed upon way to compare rates between councils, but population is a clear way to communicate comparisons.

"Population is what determines most of councils' costs, whether that’s drinking water or driving on roads or enjoying parks.”

Other councils calculate average rates based on rateable units - the number of properties paying rates - rather than population.

LDR compared the average rates from six surrounding councils, based on the number of rateable units in the district or city.

Selwyn's average came in second highest at $3790, with Christchurch at the top with $4563.

Mayoral hopeful and councillor Lydia Gliddon said Selwyn's claim highlighted the “trouble with data and interpretation”.

Gliddon said it was interesting they were not talking about this year’s data – with consecutive increases of 14.2% and 14.9%.

“These are averages – some have been 19-20%, this changes the affordability we talk of as our neighbours are not experiencing the substantial compounding increases.”

In making the claim, Selwyn compared itself with two neighbouring councils.

The average rate per person in Selwyn was $1,128 in 2023/24, lower than Christchurch ($1,681) and Waimakariri ($1,265) in North Canterbury.

A Waimakariri District Council spokesperson said they understood the public interest in comparing council rates, but “we generally avoid comparing ourselves directly with others”.

“That’s because each council provides different levels and types of services, shaped by the needs and expectations of their communities.

“That’s why comparing rates on a per-person basis can be misleading.

“Rates are charged to properties, not to individuals. A household with two people pays the same rates as the family of six next door, because both properties receive the same level of council services.”

Waimakariri, like many others, uses rateable units such as homes, businesses, or farms as “a more practical and accurate basis" for understanding and comparing rates, the spokesperson said.

Taxpayers’ Union local government campaigns manager Sam Warren said it's standard for councils themselves to measure rates per-household rating units, as opposed to population.

He questioned the deviation, “if not to paint a better picture by leveraging Selwyn’s relatively high population?”.

“It was curious for them to use the 2023-24 year, but if we were to use rateable units as the yard-stick during this same period, Selwyn’s average residential rates was $3,104. That’s higher than Timaru’s average of $2,595, Hurunui’s average of $2,647, and several other neighbouring councils.”

Selwyn District Council people culture and capability director Steve Gibling said they chose to use population to make it easier for the community to understand the relative costs between different councils.

The number of rateable units can vary from council to council — rural ones may have more farmland, while urban ones have more homes and businesses, making comparisons difficult, he said.

Data from 2023/24 is the most recent confirmed figures for each council, he said.

Gibling maintained that Selwyn “has the lowest rates per person when compared with other high growth and neighbouring councils”.

In adopting Selwyn’s annual plan, Mayor Broughton said the council is delivering on what matters most to the community, while also managing the impacts of growth, rising costs, and reduced government funding.

“Just maintaining the services we already provide has become more expensive.”

The 14.2% increase is in line with what was signalled in the long-term plan and equates to an increase of $10-11 per week for a typical household – an extra $500 for the year.

Rates comparison 2025/26

Christchurch: [185,018 and $844,303,000]: $4563.

Selwyn: [35,792 rateable units and $135,673,000 rates revenue]: $3790 average

Timaru: [22,893 and $85,736,000]: $3745

Hurunui: [9205 and $34,355,600]: $3732

Waimakariri: [30,204 and $106,939,000]: $3540

Ashburton: [16,608 and $56,641,000]: $3410

*Based on rates revenue divided by rateable units from annual plans.

By Jonathan Leask