Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes will get increased representation on the Otago Regional Council (ORC) board, the Local Government Commission (LGC) has confirmed.

Late last year ORC voted to add an extra seat to the Dunstan ward, which covers Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago, and reduce the number of seats in the Dunedin ward by one.

Following separate appeals by two district councils, Dunedin City Council (DCC) and Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), the LGC have confirmed the arrangement, which provides “certainty”, ORC chair Gretchen Robertson said.

“The outcome is positive,” Gretchen said. 

“ORC’s focus remains on ensuring good representation right across Otago to ensure all communities, rural and urban, are fairly represented.”

The LGC also confirmed the status quo of a total 12 councillors over four wards will be retained.

This will be broken down into five councillors for the Dunedin ward, one for the Moeraki ward, two for the Molyneux ward and four for the Dunstan ward.

DCC had lodged an appeal to retain six seats while QLDC’s appeal said the region would be better served with a fifth ‘Upper Lakes’ ward covering Queenstown, Frankton, Wānaka, and Cromwell.

Otago Regional Council’s 12 current councillors.

QLDC had argued a fifth ward would more fairly represent the growing population in the area.

In its decision, the LGC said it acknowledged population growth, “specifically in the Queenstown Lakes”.

However it had “qualms” about where it would leave the Dunstan ward and “whether the residual Dunstan [ward] would receive more effective representation through electing one member compared to…four members”.

A four-member constituency “enhances the chance” of representation for the Dunstan ward, the LGC said.

The LGC also noted that the population growth in Queenstown Lakes means that “eventually a [ward] comprising solely Queenstown-Lakes District will be statistically viable”.

The new representation arrangements will be in place for the elections in October this year.

Find more information about the LGC decision here.

PHOTOS: ORC