Community board chair ousted at Winton meeting

A meeting took place last night in Winton with a 4-3 vote in favour of Oreti Community Board chair Colin Smith being replaced.

A meeting was held in Winton on Monday night where Oreti Community Board chair Colin Smith was removed.

Oreti Community Board chairman Colin Smith has been ousted despite public support, as well as the backing of Southland District Mayor Rob Scott.

A meeting was held on Monday night on the back of a letter to the Southland District Council on July 23 signed by four members who it appeared had splintered from the rest of the board.

Community board members Katie Allan, Dave Diack, Chris Herud and Tracy Kennedy had penned the letter requesting a meeting to remove Smith.

The meeting took place last night in Winton and the vote was in 4-3 in favour of Smith being replaced.

Although before the vote took place Smith received plenty of support from those that spoke in the public forum and from the about 100 people who showed up at the Winton Memorial Hall for the meeting.

Amongst those who spoke in support of Smith was Mayor Scott, and Southland District councillors Darren Frazer and Margie Ruddenklau.

The community board attracted criticism for a June decision when it voted against a community preference to upgrade Winton’s ageing CCTV.

Those opposed to the project included the four community board members who then requested Smith’s removal.

After Monday night’s vote to remove Smith another vote was taken for his replacement. Katie Allan beat current deputy Philip Dobson four votes to three.