Preliminary results in today (Friday November 18) for the Central Lakes Trust election show three incumbents have secured a role on the board, along with two newcomers.

Lindsay Breen, Kathy Dedo, Tony Lepper, Jim Boult, and Trudi Webb were the top polling candidates.

Lindsay Breen (6,966 votes) was elected to the board as a trustee in the November 2019 triennial elections. He is managing director of the Breen Construction Company.

Wānaka-based Kathy Dedo (4,601 votes), also elected in 2019, had been deputy chair of the trust. She is currently the facilitator of LINK Upper Clutha.

Former Central Otago District Council mayor Tony Lepper (4,492 votes) was also elected to the board first in 2019.

Former Queenstown Lakes District Council mayor Jim Boult (4,026 votes) also made the cut, as did Webb’s Orchard co-owner Trudi Webb (3,759 votes). Trudi is involved in a range of industry and community groups, and is a director of Summerfruit NZ.

The final election result will be announced on or before Tuesday (November 22) once remaining special votes have been verified and counted, the CLT said in a statement to media. 

There are six special votes awaiting verification.

The board of Central Lakes Trust (a charitable trust which grants funds for charitable purposes) has five publicly elected trustees alongside three appointed trustees.

The board’s term of office is three years and the maximum period a trustee can serve is nine years. 

The voter return percentage is currently 23.44 percent (being 10,075 votes), of which 27.70 percent voted via the internet and 72.30 percent voted by post.

This compares to the 2019 election turnout of 28.37 percent and 2016 turnout of 26.20 percent. 

PHOTOS: Supplied