Representation Review 2024

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This consultation has now closed. Thank you to those who made a submission.

The way your Council is structured is changing

Selwyn District Council is currently undertaking a representation review and is seeking your feedback to make sure that residents have fair and effective representation at the next local elections. This includes checking ward boundaries, the number of wards, how many councillors represent your ward, and whether there should be community boards.

In April 2024, we asked for your feedback on options for future representation. The Council’s Representation Review Subcommittee has considered this feedback and we have now adopted an initial proposal for formal public consultation.



What is the representation review?

Local elections are held every three years where you get to decide who will represent you around the Council table. To support this process, all Councils must do a representation review at least once every six years, so that when it comes time for an election, you can be sure we have fair and effective representation arrangements in place.

The new representation arrangements determined through this process will be in effect for the local body elections in 2025.

The Local Electoral Act 2001 sets out how the review is undertaken. Some factors the Council must consider are:

  • Communities of interest
  • Effective representation of communities of interest
  • Number of elected members
  • Fair representation of electors.

A representation review looks at things like changes in our population, the number of councillors needed to fairly represent our communities, the existence of wards and community boards, and where the ward boundaries are. It’s also an opportunity to consider the establishment of Māori wards or constituencies, and the electoral system that would be used for upcoming elections (such as first past the post or single transferrable vote)

For more information, please take a look at our questions and answers section.


How am I currently represented?

  • Ellesmere (two councillors, includes Burnham, Dunsandel, Doyleston, Leeston, and Southbridge)
  • Malvern (two councillors, includes Hororātā, Coalgate, Glentunnel, Darfield, Kirwee, Sheffield, Springfield and West Melton)
  • Rolleston (three councillors, includes Rolleston)
  • Springs (three councillors, includes Prebbleton, Lincoln, Tai Tapu, and Springston)

Councillors are elected by residents to act as representatives and advocate for communities on local issues. They also help make decisions about how your rates are spent on things like roads and community facilities and guide the policies that shape day-to-day life and activities around the district.

  • Hawkins subdivision (two members)
  • Tawera subdivision (one member)
  • West Melton subdivision (two members)

The Community Board is delegated by the Council to oversee certain local services and facilities. The Ellesmere, Springs, and Rolleston wards have no community boards as the Council directly oversees their local services and facilities.

What is proposed?

Having fair and effective representation means removing barriers to participation and not splitting recognised communities of interest, or grouping together those which have few common interests.

We also must consider things such as the size of a constituency (ward) and how accessible it is, as well as whether residents can meet with an elected representative easily.

The term ‘community of interest’ is not defined in the Local Electoral Act 2001 and may mean different things to different people. Overall, it is about considering the interests of groups of people within a constituency (ward); for some this is the iwi they belong to, while for others it is where they live, a community they feel part of, or where they shop or work.

Taking account of the above matters, the Council considers that moving:

  • West Melton to the Springs Ward; and
  • Burnham to the Rolleston Ward,

will ensure fair and effective representation.

Selwyn District Council has approved an initial proposal for our representation arrangements to ensure people have fair and effective representation following the 2025 local government elections.

The initial proposal has been based on extensive research and preliminary consultation with our communities. Our initial proposal is:

Reduce the number of councillors from 10 to 8.

Malvern and Ellesmere wards would move to one councillor each, with three councillors each for Rolleston and Springs wards. This, together with some ward boundary changes, would enable each councillor to represent roughly the same number of people each (+/-10%) – as required by the Local Electoral Act 2001. The Council would have eight councillors, plus the mayor.

Maintain our four wards with some boundary changes and rename the wards.

West Melton would move to Springs Ward and Burnham would join Rolleston Ward. The names would be Tawera Malvern Ward, Kā Mānia Rolleston Ward, Te Waihora Ellesmere Ward, and Kā Puna Springs Ward.

No community boards.

It is proposed that no community boards be elected. This would result in the disestablishment of Selwyn District Council’s only community board, the Malvern Community Board.


Proposed wards

Enter your address, or click on the map, below to see your current ward, and the proposed new ward information.


Tawera Malvern Ward

This name speaks to the Torlesse Range, Kā Tiritiri O Te Moana the Southern Alps and the Oxford area, and the district stretching from the mountains to the lake and sea.

Te Waihora Ellesmere Ward

Te Waihora refers to Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere and the significant role water plays in the district.

Kā Mānia Rolleston Ward

Kā Mānia references the plains and the important narratives of navigation, settlement and mahika kai.

Kā Puna Springs Ward

Kā Puna refers to the natural springs found along the northern edge of the district and Kā Puna Karikari o Rākaihautū, the springs created by the ancestor Rākaihautū.

The way your Council is structured is changing

Selwyn District Council is currently undertaking a representation review and is seeking your feedback to make sure that residents have fair and effective representation at the next local elections. This includes checking ward boundaries, the number of wards, how many councillors represent your ward, and whether there should be community boards.

In April 2024, we asked for your feedback on options for future representation. The Council’s Representation Review Subcommittee has considered this feedback and we have now adopted an initial proposal for formal public consultation.



What is the representation review?

Local elections are held every three years where you get to decide who will represent you around the Council table. To support this process, all Councils must do a representation review at least once every six years, so that when it comes time for an election, you can be sure we have fair and effective representation arrangements in place.

The new representation arrangements determined through this process will be in effect for the local body elections in 2025.

The Local Electoral Act 2001 sets out how the review is undertaken. Some factors the Council must consider are:

  • Communities of interest
  • Effective representation of communities of interest
  • Number of elected members
  • Fair representation of electors.

A representation review looks at things like changes in our population, the number of councillors needed to fairly represent our communities, the existence of wards and community boards, and where the ward boundaries are. It’s also an opportunity to consider the establishment of Māori wards or constituencies, and the electoral system that would be used for upcoming elections (such as first past the post or single transferrable vote)

For more information, please take a look at our questions and answers section.


How am I currently represented?

  • Ellesmere (two councillors, includes Burnham, Dunsandel, Doyleston, Leeston, and Southbridge)
  • Malvern (two councillors, includes Hororātā, Coalgate, Glentunnel, Darfield, Kirwee, Sheffield, Springfield and West Melton)
  • Rolleston (three councillors, includes Rolleston)
  • Springs (three councillors, includes Prebbleton, Lincoln, Tai Tapu, and Springston)

Councillors are elected by residents to act as representatives and advocate for communities on local issues. They also help make decisions about how your rates are spent on things like roads and community facilities and guide the policies that shape day-to-day life and activities around the district.

  • Hawkins subdivision (two members)
  • Tawera subdivision (one member)
  • West Melton subdivision (two members)

The Community Board is delegated by the Council to oversee certain local services and facilities. The Ellesmere, Springs, and Rolleston wards have no community boards as the Council directly oversees their local services and facilities.

What is proposed?

Having fair and effective representation means removing barriers to participation and not splitting recognised communities of interest, or grouping together those which have few common interests.

We also must consider things such as the size of a constituency (ward) and how accessible it is, as well as whether residents can meet with an elected representative easily.

The term ‘community of interest’ is not defined in the Local Electoral Act 2001 and may mean different things to different people. Overall, it is about considering the interests of groups of people within a constituency (ward); for some this is the iwi they belong to, while for others it is where they live, a community they feel part of, or where they shop or work.

Taking account of the above matters, the Council considers that moving:

  • West Melton to the Springs Ward; and
  • Burnham to the Rolleston Ward,

will ensure fair and effective representation.

Selwyn District Council has approved an initial proposal for our representation arrangements to ensure people have fair and effective representation following the 2025 local government elections.

The initial proposal has been based on extensive research and preliminary consultation with our communities. Our initial proposal is:

Reduce the number of councillors from 10 to 8.

Malvern and Ellesmere wards would move to one councillor each, with three councillors each for Rolleston and Springs wards. This, together with some ward boundary changes, would enable each councillor to represent roughly the same number of people each (+/-10%) – as required by the Local Electoral Act 2001. The Council would have eight councillors, plus the mayor.

Maintain our four wards with some boundary changes and rename the wards.

West Melton would move to Springs Ward and Burnham would join Rolleston Ward. The names would be Tawera Malvern Ward, Kā Mānia Rolleston Ward, Te Waihora Ellesmere Ward, and Kā Puna Springs Ward.

No community boards.

It is proposed that no community boards be elected. This would result in the disestablishment of Selwyn District Council’s only community board, the Malvern Community Board.


Proposed wards

Enter your address, or click on the map, below to see your current ward, and the proposed new ward information.


Tawera Malvern Ward

This name speaks to the Torlesse Range, Kā Tiritiri O Te Moana the Southern Alps and the Oxford area, and the district stretching from the mountains to the lake and sea.

Te Waihora Ellesmere Ward

Te Waihora refers to Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere and the significant role water plays in the district.

Kā Mānia Rolleston Ward

Kā Mānia references the plains and the important narratives of navigation, settlement and mahika kai.

Kā Puna Springs Ward

Kā Puna refers to the natural springs found along the northern edge of the district and Kā Puna Karikari o Rākaihautū, the springs created by the ancestor Rākaihautū.