Jayden Cromb has been re-elected as the Vincent Community Board chair, but will not be seeking the ward seat on council in the by-election early next year.

The Central Otago District Council will operate with one fewer councillor until March 2026, after councillor-elect Dave McKenzie resigned days after the election result.

Jayden missed out on one of four seats as a Vincent ward councillor, and initially said he wasn’t ruling himself in or out of the by-election.

In the October election, incumbents Tracy Paterson and Martin McPherson topped the poll, with newcomer Nathan McLean finishing third, with Dave’s resignation leaving a fourth spot.

In his speech to the Vincent board yesterday, after being nominated for the chair by Martin McPherson, Jayden thanked everyone for their support and trust in allowing him to continue in his role.

“The voters have sent a clear message that they want change, and today I commit to ensuring that the Vincent Community Board plays its part in being accessible, and acting as an advocate for everyone across our ward."

He then explained why he wouldn’t be running in the by-election for a chance to become a councillor, saying it was important the communities that the Vincent board represented received the time, attention and focus they deserved from the chair.

“We also heard clearly during the election that people expect their elected members to take the necessary steps to address what they see as wasteful spending. I cannot in good conscience commit to that while also asking our community to fund a second by-election in Vincent later next year.”

In New Zealand, a person can be elected as both a community board member and a district councillor. However, if a candidate wins both positions, they are legally required to choose only one and must resign from the other.  

Both Martin McPherson and Curtis Pannett (Teviot) won both a seat at council and on their community boards, but withdrew their nominations for the latter before final results came in. The CODC also appoints its own councillor to each of their boards, allowing them to stay.

But Jayden said if he was successful in the council seat, he would then have to resign from the Vincent board, which would trigger the second by-election, and an extra expense to ratepayers of around $40,000.

“My commitment remains firmly with our communities and with this board. While this has not been an easy decision, I believe that putting the greater good above self-interest is what leadership requires.”

Jayden is also the first VCB chair reappointed since 2013. New community board members Karla Sanders and Jim Moffitt have joined Jayden, Martin and Tony Hammington, who were all sworn in yesterday. Tony has become the deputy chair.

Karla was the highest polling candidate, receiving 2723 votes, with Jim coming in second on 2299, followed by Martin on 2174, Jayden 2016 and Tony on 1808.

Karla is a former teacher and experienced project manager who co-founded the youth-led charity Sticks ’n Stones, which started in Central Otago and now supports young people across New Zealand. 

She brings years of governance experience from national boards and advisory groups to local committees.

Jim brings 17 years experience in banking and finance, along with 25 years in viticulture. He’s also a qualified rugby referee.

The CODC by-election nomination period will run from November 24 to December 22, with voting scheduled from January 30 to March 3. 

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