Cecil Henry "Matt" Benney ISO (6 July 1902–12 December 1980) was a New Zealand civil servant and politician.

He was chairman of the Wellington section, a member of the executive (1938-39), and vice-president of the PSA (1939-40), and has also served on a large number of special committees in the public service.

[7] Given his wealth of experience in the mining industry he was immediately appointed to the highly demanding role of chairman of the works committee, which he held throughout his tenure on the council.

[8] He was involved in a public selection controversy in 1965, when he was chosen as the Citizens' nominee for the mayoralty by the association's executive (a position not normally considered for a first-term councillor).

Despite initially accepting, Benney withdrew his nomination after it became clear to him that the majority of sitting Citizens' councillors instead favoured deputy mayor Denis McGrath.

[10][11] At the election, Benney increased the Citizens' share of the vote and slightly decreased incumbent mayor Frank Kitts' majority, but was nonetheless defeated soundly.