Arrowtown ward councillor Heath Copland is 99.9% sure he’s not standing for council this coming term.
Copland says the only thing that might convince him to run again is if there’s an empty seat come election time, or if that seat is filled by some one he ‘‘doesn’t necessarily agree with’’.
He will be the last sole Arrowtown ward councillor following a decision made earlier in the year to absorb Arrowtown into a wider Arrowtown-Kawarau ward, represented by three councillors.
To date, only Lisa Guy has put her hand up for the new ward, while existing councillor Craig ‘Ferg’ Ferguson may stand in that ward, but remains ‘‘undecided’’.
Copland, a one-term councillor, says he doesn’t have time to do another three years.
‘‘We had another daughter last year in April, that takes up a lot of my time now, and my business is growing coming out of the Covid hibernation phase.
‘‘I don’t really have time to do business, family and council.’’
But his time around the council table has been ‘‘awesome’’.
‘‘I have really enjoyed it, some of it’s a bit tough, some of it’s a bit frustrating but it’s been a really, really good experience and the professional development that I feel I’ve got out of the governance role has been really incredible.’’
Nominations for this year’s local body elections, being held October 8, open tomorrow.
Council’s holding an election information evening this coming Monday, from 6pm, at the Gorge Road council chambers, and online.
