Bruce ward councillor Bruce Vollweiler moved the Lawrence/Tuapeka and West Otago community boards be disestablished and that no community boards be established in the district, sparking a lengthy debate among other councillors.
Cr Vollweiler said community boards were set up with the fear the two wards would not have a voice, and he questioned if the boards were adding value to those communities.
Cr John Cochrane said community companies could achieve just as much as community boards, referring to the work done in the Clinton area by the district's community company.
"To me, it [a community board] is little more than a cup of tea and a meeting for some locals."
Cr Joanna Lowrey said if there were community boards in the district, all communities should have them.
After Cr Vollweiler's motion was lost, a motion was moved to retain the status quo in line with the council's working party recommendation. That recommendation was that Lawrence/Tuapeka and West Otago community boards be retained with the existing membership structure but with updated boundaries.
That proposal was only passed after the mayor used his casting vote.
Cr Hamish Anderson said after meetings with members of the two community boards, board members recognised the costs associated with operating them but felt they had a part to play in their communities and should be retained.
Lawrence-Tuapeka councillor Geoff Blackmore said community boards had "driven" major projects in the past, and might do so again.
"These two wards think slightly differently - they consider themselves a part of Clutha but not Balclutha."
The district council yesterday voted to retain the current number of councillors (14 and the mayor), using wards for electing all councillors.
The Clutha district is split into eight wards - Balclutha, Bruce, Catlins, Clinton, Clutha Valley, Kaitangata-Matau, Lawrence-Tuapeka and West Otago.
Councillors also voted 13-1 to update the ward boundaries as recommended by the working party. The Bruce ward would be the only ward to retain its present boundaries.
Cr Stewart Cowie opposed the recommendation that ward boundaries be updated, stating the West Otago ward's boundaries should stay the same.
Under the proposal, the Waipahi area would be removed from the Clinton ward and placed in the West Otago ward.
Cr Cowie, who represents the Clutha Valley ward, said Waipahi had ties to Clinton through rugby clubs and other groups, and shifting the boundaries would affect rating boundaries.
He felt the proposed boundary change did not reflect West Otago's population growth and the boundary did not need to change.
The representation review is required by law every six years and requires community consultation.
The Clutha District Council will release the Representation Review Statement of Proposal for public consultation next Wednesday, launching a month-long submission period, which would close on May 11.
Submission forms will be available on the council's website www.cluthadc.govt.nz and from its service centres.
The council will make a final decision later in the year.
