Uprooting the Dunedin City Council from its traditional home in favour of a meeting in Middlemarch was either "democracy in action" or an unnecessary distraction, councillors argued yesterday.
The council voted to take the meeting to the township, despite arguments it would take too much time from a field trip to see the work of the area's community board.
The council is understood to have held its full meeting outside Dunedin only once since amalgamation in 1989, when Mosgiel and St Kilda were amalgamated into the Dunedin council.
Mayor Peter Chin told a council meeting yesterday the Strath Taieri Community Board had last year invited the council to hold a meeting in the town.
The Taieri Gorge Railway had offered seats for councillors and staff.
Cr Kate Wilson, who lives in Middlemarch, said the community board was keen for councillors to see the work it was doing.
Cr Bill Acklin questioned why the trip should be complicated with a meeting.
He was backed by Cr Richard Walls, who said the only other meeting outside Dunedin had been in Port Chalmers in 1998, marking Otago's 150th year.
That was appropriate, but the trip would be "tacked on" to the meeting, and councillors would not have time to properly see the board's work.
Cr Michael Guest said it would be a chance for residents to see the council at work.
A recommendation to hold the meeting in Middlemarch, on March 29, was carried.
It will be held at the Strath Taieri community Centre.
