Former politician Dennis Dorney told the Otago Daily Times the steering committee formed in February to consider the new group's structure was still discussing ideas, meaning details could not be confirmed.
It would be ''very nice'' if the group was active ahead of local body elections scheduled for October 12, but it was not yet known if the group would back particular candidates or policies, he said.
''These are the things which, obviously, the group will discuss. They have raised those issues between themselves, but they haven't discussed them to finality and made a formed opinion on what they would do in a forthcoming election,'' he said.
Mr Dorney called a public meeting in February to discuss forming a new group, at the same time it was confirmed the Dunedin Ratepayers and Householders' Association had not held an annual meeting, or filed annual financial statements, in two years.
The meeting at Community House attracted 20 people and resulted in the formation of a steering committee of eight - now down to seven because of illness - to discuss the shape of the new group and report back.
Mr Dorney, a steering committee member, said yesterday the seven members would meet again on April 16 to continue their discussions, and hoped to report back to the wider group after a few more meetings.
''We are still, as a steering group, working our way through the various sorts of structures and rules and so on that you have to have in place.
''I takes a bit longer than we imagined, but we're making quite good progress.''
There was no indication of the likely membership size yet, but a public meeting would be called to drum up members once details of the group were confirmed, he said.
''The people who wish to join up will presumably do so, but I couldn't put a number at all on that.''
The name of the group was yet to be confirmed, as was its membership structure and any fees, but it was expected it would operate an ''interactive'' website and hold ''fairly regular'' public meetings, he said.
The new group was not intended to be ''a substitute for, or an addition to'' the ratepayers' association, and could take a wider view than the city council alone, Mr Dorney said.
''We could look at other issues as well, like say transport for one, which is actually under Otago Regional Council ownership. It's certainly something people in Dunedin take an interest in.
''I have quite strong views on that ... there are topics like this that a group could easily want to take an interest in.''
One thing was clear - the new group would not claim to represent all Dunedin ratepayers unless they opted out, as the ratepayers' association did.
''Without knowing what model we would pick, I'm absolutely certain we would not pick that. I'm not sure that it's legally valid,'' Mr Dorney said.
Instead, it would represent only members who chose to opt in ''like they would have to with any group'', he said.
''If we chose membership as a way to go, we would have a membership fee which we would recognise as only including those people who paid the fee.''
Companies Office records showed the ratepayers' association was still registered yesterday, but yet to file financial statements for 2011 and 2012.
