Local Government Elected Members (2025/26) Amendment Determination 2025
2025/161
Local Government Elected Members (2025/26) Amendment Determination 2025
This determination is made by the Remuneration Authority under the Remuneration Authority Act 1977 and clauses 6 and 7A of Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2002, after having regard to the matters specified in clause 7 of that schedule.
Contents
Determination
1 Title
This determination is the Local Government Elected Members (2025/26) Amendment Determination 2025.
2 Commencement
3 Principal determination
This determination amends the Local Government Elected Members (2025/26) Determination 2025.
4 Clause 8 amended (Remuneration, allowances, and hearing fees payable)
After clause 8(3), insert:
(3A)
No member of a local authority or a board may receive remuneration for more than 1 office at any one time under any of the provisions of Schedules 2 and 3 and, if a member holds 2 or more offices, the remuneration payable to that member is that payable for the office for which the highest annual remuneration is payable.
5 Clause 11 amended (Vehicle-kilometre allowance)
Replace clause 11(3) with:
(3)
The allowance payable to a member for eligible travel is,—
(a)
for a petrol vehicle,—
(i)
$1.17 per kilometre for the first 14,000 kilometres of eligible travel in the determination term; and
(ii)
37 cents per kilometre after the first 14,000 kilometres of eligible travel in the determination term:
(b)
for a diesel vehicle,—
(i)
$1.26 per kilometre for the first 14,000 kilometres of eligible travel in the determination term; and
(ii)
35 cents per kilometre after the first 14,000 kilometres of eligible travel in the determination term:
(c)
for a petrol hybrid vehicle,—
(i)
86 cents per kilometre for the first 14,000 kilometres of eligible travel in the determination term; and
(ii)
21 cents per kilometre after the first 14,000 kilometres of eligible travel in the determination term:
(d)
for an electric vehicle,—
(i)
$1.08 per kilometre for the first 14,000 kilometres of eligible travel in the determination term; and
(ii)
19 cents per kilometre after the first 14,000 kilometres of eligible travel in the determination term.
6 Clause 15 amended (Home security system allowance)
Replace clause 15(1)(a) with:
(a)
$4,500 for purchasing and installing the system; and
7 Clause 16 amended (Fees related to hearings)
After clause 16(4), insert:
(5)
Despite subclause (4), this clause applies to the Mayor of the Chatham Islands Council.
8 Schedule 2 amended
Amendments relating to Otago Regional Council
(1)
In Schedule 2, Part 1, item relating to Otago Regional Council, item relating to Co-Chair Regional Leadership Committee (2), replace “Regional Leadership”
with “Community and Partnerships”
.
(2)
In Schedule 2, Part 1, item relating to Otago Regional Council, item relating to Co-Chair Safety and Resilience Committee (2), replace “Safety”
with “Science”
.
(3)
In Schedule 2, Part 1, item relating to Otago Regional Council, item relating to Co-Chair Environmental Implementation Committee, replace “Implementation”
with “Delivery”
.
Amendments relating to Carterton District Council
(4)
In Schedule 2, Part 2, item relating to Carterton District Council, item relating to Deputy Mayor, replace “53,815”
with “57,696”
.
(5)
In Schedule 2, Part 2, item relating to Carterton District Council, item relating to Councillor with no additional responsibilities, replace “27,182”
with “31,066”
.
Amendment relating to Hurunui District Council
(6)
In Schedule 2, Part 2, item relating to Hurunui District Council, replace the items relating to Deputy Mayor, Committee Chairs (3), and Councillor with no additional responsibilities with:
| Deputy Mayor | 44,785 | |
| Standing Committee Chair (3) | 39,035 | |
| Councillor with no additional responsibilities | 33,286 |
Dated at Wellington this 29th day of July 2025.
Geoff Summers,
Chairperson.
Dallas Welch,
Member.
Vern Walsh,
Member.
Explanatory memorandum
This memorandum is not part of the determination but is intended to indicate its general effect.
This determination amends the Local Government Elected Members (2025/26) Determination 2025 (the principal determination).
Clause 4 amends clause 8 of the principal determination and is deemed to have come into force on 1 July 2025. This amendment provides that if a member holds 2 or more offices, the remuneration payable to that member is that for the office for which the highest annual remuneration is payable.
Clause 5 amends clause 11 of the principal determination, which sets out the vehicle-kilometre allowance payable by a local authority to a member to reimburse them for their vehicle-running costs incurred in respect of eligible travel on local authority business. The updated vehicle-kilometre allowance rates are payable for eligible travel from 1 September 2025.
The new kilometre allowance rates reflect the table of rates for business motor vehicle expenditure claims for the 2024/25 income year published by the Inland Revenue Department on 6 June 2025. A copy of this table of rates can be found at https://www.ird.govt.nz/income-tax/income-tax-for-businesses-and-organisations/types-of-business-expenses/claiming-vehicle-expenses/kilometre-rates-2024-2025
Due to the significant difference in vehicle-running costs between the different vehicle types, the allowance rates payable for diesel vehicles have been separated from petrol vehicles to ensure that the rates accurately reflect reasonable expenditure related to the business use of that particular vehicle type.
Clause 6 amends clause 15 of the principal determination to clarify that the cost of the installation of a home security system also includes the cost of purchasing the system. This amendment comes into force on 1 September 2025.
Clause 7 amends clause 16 of the principal determination and is deemed to have come into force on 1 July 2025. The amendment enables the Mayor of the Chatham Islands Council to claim hearing fees because the Remuneration Authority (the Authority) has deemed the Mayor of the Chatham Islands Council to be a part-time role. This change makes clause 16 consistent with clause 12 of the principal determination, which provides that the Mayor of the Chatham Islands Council may claim an allowance for eligible travel time.
Clause 8 amends Schedule 2 of the principal determination.
The amendments relating to Otago Regional Council are deemed to have come into force on 1 July 2025. These amendments reflect the changes that the Council made to the titles of its office role holders. No changes were made to the office holders’ annual remuneration rates.
The amendments relating to Carterton District Council and Hurunui District Council are deemed to have come into force on 1 July 2025. The amendments reflect the changes that these Councils made to their councillors’ remuneration, as approved by the Authority, due to the resignation of a councillor. Both Councils resolved not to fill the extraordinary vacancy created by the resignation. The amendment relating to Hurunui District Council also reflects that the office holder title of Committee Chairs (3) has been changed to Standing Committee Chair (3).
Date of notification in Gazette: 31 July 2025.