Deputies yet to be decided, but Cocks likely in QLDC

Several councillors are in the running but no decision has been made yet on who will be Central Otago's new deputy mayor.

The deputy for the past three terms, Tony Lepper, ousted the incumbent mayor, Malcolm Macpherson, polling 614 votes ahead of him and 545 votes ahead of Jeff Hill.

An informal meeting of the incoming Central Otago District Council will be held next Wednesday and Mr Lepper said the role of deputy mayor would be one of the items discussed.

"Two or three people have already registered their interest in the job and we'll be discussing it further at that informal meeting."

After that meeting, there might be an indication of who would get the role, he said, declining to name the contenders.

"I get to make a recommendation, but at the end of the day, it comes down to a vote of all the councillors."

Mr Lepper said several changes were proposed to council committees and that would also influence the decision about the deputy mayor.

The incoming council, elected unopposed, is Terry Emmitt, Neil Gillespie and Gordon Stewart (Cromwell ward), Clair Higginson (Earnscleugh-Manuherikia), John Lane (Roxburgh), Barry Becker (Maniototo), Stephen Battrick, Graeme Bell and Martin McPherson (Alexandra).

All but Mr McPherson were councillors last term.

They will be sworn in before the council meeting on October 27.

New Queenstown Lakes mayor Vanessa van Uden confirmed yesterday she would recommend Wanaka councillor Lyal Cocks as her deputy.

She told the Otago Daily Times she would maintain the tradition of recommending to the council the highest polling Wanaka councillor.

Cr Cocks won the most votes with 2219.

"The tradition is worthwhile and puts forward a good representation for Wanaka.

We're all about good partnership."

Cr Cocks has already confirmed he is keen to take the deputy mayor's position but also wants to continue as chairman of the Wanaka Community Board.

After the 2007 local body elections, Mr Cocks bypassed the option of being deputy mayor in favour of heading the Wanaka board.

At the time, he cited a perceived conflict of interest as the main reason for choosing the community board chairman role, because he might have to put Wanaka issues behind those of the district if he was also the deputy mayor.

The experience he had gained during the past three years had changed his previous view on the role of deputy mayor, he said.

The new council will be sworn in and the deputy mayor elected at a public ceremony at the Lakes Hayes pavilion on October 26.

New Clutha mayor Bryan Cadogan could not be contacted yesterday, but Hamish Anderson, deputy mayor for the previous two terms, confirmed he had been discussing the role of deputy with Mr Cadogan.