March 5, 2026
Selwyn’s 'sensitive expenditure' has been thrust into the public realm for the first time.
Sensitive expenditure is council money spent on things that could look like they benefit an individual personally rather than the wider community.
It covers legitimate costs for doing council business, such as travel costs and phone bills.
The council’s audit and risk committee meeting on Tuesday produced the first ever sensitive expenditure report.
The report showed that from July 1 to September 30, spending by the chief executive Sharon Mason, mayor Sam Broughton, councillors, and community board members totalled $23,530.
That included $4773 for “elected member refreshments” at the council chambers.
Mason had the most at $4316, which consisted of $1418 for flights, accommodation and travel expenses, $1493 for conference and memberships, and $1131 for food, catering, and hospitality.
Then-councillor Lydia Gliddon was the next highest with $2982, the vast majority of which was vehicle kilometres and travel time.
Broughton’s total was $1181, with $1005 for travel expenses, noting he also had use of a mayoral car.
Trending downward
The most recently reported quarter, October 1 – December 31 2025, marks a crossover between the previous and newly elected council.
It showed a trend downward with a total sensitive expenditure of $19,769.
The cost of “elected member refreshments” was down to $1563.
With some time spent in her new role as mayor, Gliddon topped the spending in the quarter for a total of $2698.
That included $1571 worth of flights, accommodation and travel expenses as mayor, as well as $748 from her time as councillor for vehicle kilometres and travel time before receiving a mayoral vehicle.
The new open reporting on personal expenses comes after consultancy firm Deloitte assessed the council’s policies and found the level of compliance was informal or inadequate.
In Deloitte's April 2025 report, no high risks over what was being spent were identified but concerns were raised about clear rules, consistent oversight and record-keeping by the council.
The report tabled on Tuesday outlined that since the audit, the sensitive expenditure controls have been significantly strengthened with “mandatory pre-approval, clearer policy requirements, and system-enforced workflows.”
Fiscal responsibility had been a hot topic in the last local government election.
One of the successful candidates who campaigned on improved financial management and transparency was Tracey Macleod, and the first-term councillor praised the staff for preparing the new report so quickly into the term.
Macleod said that while the sensitive expenditure totals may seem small in the overall scheme of council spending, the report was about transparency.
“It also protects the people named on this from the rumour mill and protects the organisation and builds the trust and integrity of the organisation.”
By Jonathan Leask
Selwyn’s 'sensitive expenditure' has been thrust into the public realm for the first time.
Sensitive expenditure is council money spent on things that could look like they benefit an individual personally rather than the wider community.
It covers legitimate costs for doing council business, such as travel costs and phone bills.
The council’s audit and risk committee meeting on Tuesday produced the first ever sensitive expenditure report.
The report showed that from July 1 to September 30, spending by the chief executive Sharon Mason, mayor Sam Broughton, councillors, and community board members totalled $23,530.
That included $4773 for “elected member refreshments” at the council chambers.
Mason had the most at $4316, which consisted of $1418 for flights, accommodation and travel expenses, $1493 for conference and memberships, and $1131 for food, catering, and hospitality.
Then-councillor Lydia Gliddon was the next highest with $2982, the vast majority of which was vehicle kilometres and travel time.
Broughton’s total was $1181, with $1005 for travel expenses, noting he also had use of a mayoral car.
Trending downward
The most recently reported quarter, October 1 – December 31 2025, marks a crossover between the previous and newly elected council.
It showed a trend downward with a total sensitive expenditure of $19,769.
The cost of “elected member refreshments” was down to $1563.
With some time spent in her new role as mayor, Gliddon topped the spending in the quarter for a total of $2698.
That included $1571 worth of flights, accommodation and travel expenses as mayor, as well as $748 from her time as councillor for vehicle kilometres and travel time before receiving a mayoral vehicle.
The new open reporting on personal expenses comes after consultancy firm Deloitte assessed the council’s policies and found the level of compliance was informal or inadequate.
In Deloitte's April 2025 report, no high risks over what was being spent were identified but concerns were raised about clear rules, consistent oversight and record-keeping by the council.
The report tabled on Tuesday outlined that since the audit, the sensitive expenditure controls have been significantly strengthened with “mandatory pre-approval, clearer policy requirements, and system-enforced workflows.”
Fiscal responsibility had been a hot topic in the last local government election.
One of the successful candidates who campaigned on improved financial management and transparency was Tracey Macleod, and the first-term councillor praised the staff for preparing the new report so quickly into the term.
Macleod said that while the sensitive expenditure totals may seem small in the overall scheme of council spending, the report was about transparency.
“It also protects the people named on this from the rumour mill and protects the organisation and builds the trust and integrity of the organisation.”
By Jonathan Leask
