However, Arrowtown's only councillor, Lex Perkins, said yesterday he would be "horrified" by the change as it would further erode the Wakatipu village's power around the council table.
The proposal for consideration by all councillors on Tuesday involved the consolidation of a Wakatipu ward and a Wanaka ward. All councillors would be elected within wards.
The Wakatipu ward would elect six councillors and the Wanaka ward three.
Community boards would be established for the Wanaka ward and the former Arrowtown ward.
Both community boards would comprise four elected members and councillors appointed by the council.
Regulatory and corporate general manager Roger Taylor said yesterday although removing the Arrowtown ward could be considered by some as a loss, there was "considerable gain" from the proposal and it warranted debate.
"Including Arrowtown in the wider Wakatipu ward meant that residents of Arrowtown had a considerably wider choice of candidates to select from at the triennial election.
"If the ward is retained, electors will continue to be able to vote for just one candidate. The creation of a community board provides for the continuation of a 'voice' for Arrowtown issues within the district.
"One that is formally constituted and has a statutory role."
However, Cr Perkins said the village had its own borough council until 1989 and its three ward councillors had been whittled down to one.
Asked if Arrowtown's interests would be better served by a community board, Mr Perkins said community boards did not have the power councillors had.
Wanaka was different because it had board members and three councillors as well and was in a very strong position, he said.
The three alternative proposals for council consideration involved:
• The election of all councillors at large, with community boards being established for Wanaka and Arrowtown.
• Retain the existing wards and boundaries, elect four councillors from Wanaka, one from Arrowtown and six from Queenstown-Wakatipu and retain the Wanaka Community Board with four elected members.
• Retain the existing wards and boundaries, elect four councillors from Wanaka, one from Arrowtown and six from Queenstown-Wakatipu and remove the Wanaka Community Board.
"The issue continues to be that the existing Arrowtown ward no longer meets the [population] requirement to constitute a ward," Mr Taylor said.
The community will be consulted on the proposal before the council is scheduled to adopt a final proposal from its working party on June 26.
