The Geraldine Community Board needs to consider whether it will fill the vacancy left by board member Kerry Stevens being elected to the Timaru District Council.

Mr Stevens polled the highest of the four candidates in the Geraldine ward by-election, which came about because of the sudden death of ward councillor and district deputy mayor Michael Oliver in August.

Electoral officer Mark Low confirmed there would be no election to fill the vacancy because there was less than a year of the board's term to run.

The board must decide whether to continue with only five members for the rest of its term, or whether it will appoint a sixth member.

If it opts to appoint a new member, then it must advertise who it has appointed.

That decision is final and cannot be appealed.

Council chief executive Peter Nixon has prepared a report on the options for tomorrow night's board meeting.

He said traditionally in such a situation the board would appoint the top-polling unsuccessful candidate from the previous election.

That cannot happen in this case because there were only six nominations for the six places on the board.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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