Teviot Valley Community Board’s oldest serving member Russell Read has resigned.

The 87-year-old first came onto the board for a term in 2015, and then again in 2022.

He was currently a counsellor for the Cancer Society, a trustee of the Central Otago Arts Trust, and a committee member of the Central Otago Art Society.

Russell Read swearing in as a Community Board member in 2022. He resigned from the board yesterday. PHOTO: CENTRAL OTAGO DISTRICT COUNCIL

Chairman Norman Dalley acknowledged Russell’s service at yesterday’s meeting, saying he had decided to resign because he didn’t believe the community board could perform the same as it had done in the past.

He believed the board’s powers of decision making had been significantly reduced over time, “and he deserves to be able to retire,” Norman said.

The board agreed to fill the position rather than leave it vacant and put forward a motion that was approved, to have Curtis Pannett nominated to the role.

Curtis wasn’t at the meeting but it was understood he came from a farming background and would bring new skills to the board table.

In other board matters, Norman addressed two issues that related to board member Gill Booth.

The first was the fact she still hadn’t filled in the members’ declaration of interest register.

Gill said she had nothing to declare, no business interests in the area, although admitted she did have property.

“If you can’t complete the declaration of interest I can’t be assured you have no conflicts of interest in any area of business we discuss,” Norman said.

“We all have to do it, it has to be kept up to date, that’s all," he said. 

“There’s no point putting us at risk."

Gill has been a member of Voices for Freedom since 2020 and one of a small number in the group nationally who successfully stood for office. 

In his chair’s report, Norman also addressed Gill’s negative comments towards the former Mayor Tim Cadogan, following the announcement of his resignation.

Referring to her “good riddance” comment on the Teviot Valley Facebook page, he said there had actually been a lot of positive feedback on that page as well.

New Mayor Tamah Alley attended the board meeting and said she was “looking forward to getting out in the traps a bit more to some of the more unique places.”

Norman also thanked Tim Cadogan for his dedication to the job, and noted his support during the 2017 floods, when he said, “he was pretty much here 24 hours like everyone else.”