At its meeting yesterday, the Clutha District Council discussed possible changes to its representation review, with the majority of councillors content to retain the district's two community boards.
The Clutha district is split into eight wards: Balclutha, Bruce, Catlins, Clinton, Clutha Valley, Kaitangata-Matau, Lawrence-Tuapeka and West Otago, with the latter two having their own community boards.
West Otago Community Board member John Herbert presented a verbal submission on behalf of the board. He said the two boards added value to their respective communities.
"There is no direct cost to the council or ratepayers outside West Otago [and Lawrence-Tuapeka]. Community boards have a part to play and have support from the community."
Mr Herbert asked councillors to keep an open mind about community boards as they worked well in the two communities.
Cr Hamish Anderson said West Otago and Lawrence-Tuapeka seemed to want their community boards.
However, he would not support the creation of any more community boards in the district.
Cr John Cochrane said while he stood neutral on whether community boards should stay, he still believed community committees could do the same job.
Cr Cochrane also raised concerns about the Waipahi area being moved from the Clinton ward into the West Otago ward, as Waipahi ratepayers would then be required to pay a rate towards the West Otago Community Board.
West Otago councillor Michelle Kennedy said it was hard for communities without community boards to understand their importance.
"It [the community board] has always worked well in our community. Why change a wheel that isn't broken?"
Twelve councillors voted to make no changes to the representation proposal, retaining both community boards. Cr Joanna Lowrey voted against the motion, and Cr Chris Hargest was absent.
At a council meeting in April, a motion that the Lawrence-Tuapeka and West Otago community boards be disestablished and that no community boards be established in the district sparked a lengthy debate among councillors.
The motion was lost with a seven-seven split, and another motion to retain the status quo was passed when Mayor Cadogan used his casting vote to break the deadlock.
The representation review is required by law every six years.
A final decision will be made at a council meeting on June 28.
