An independent community working party chaired by Michael Parker, of Queenstown, has recommended Arrowtown become part of the broader Wakatipu ward, meaning it will lose a council representative.
Rather than an alternative community board, the working party recommended keeping the existing Wanaka community board and its three representatives on the council.
The Wakatipu ward will retain its six representatives.
The recommendation comes after 230 written submissions to the council last month, of which over 90% preferred to keep the Arrowtown ward.
Former Arrowtown deputy mayor, QLDC councillor of nine years and Arrowtown resident of 80 years Taylor Reed told the Otago Daily Times yesterday he was disappointed some of the voices had been ignored.
"I'm really saddened to see Arrowtown miss out. I really think we need a third ward.
"Since amalgamation, Queenstown has given us a jolly good spin - there's no doubt about that. But we have always had a representative at the council table."
He hoped an Arrowtown representative would be voted in in the Wakatipu ward, although the voting base would be predominantly Queenstown based.
Although the commissioners in the working party would not have ignored the submissions, they "may have been swayed" by the strong speakers at the hearing on June 8, Mr Reed said.
The Government's six-yearly review of council representation showed Arrowtown was just 200 residents short of having its own ward and representative, according to a 2006 census estimate.
Arrowtown Business Association (ABA) chairman Adin May said the recommendation was hugely disappointing and he would be speaking up at the full council meeting on Friday.
"The ABA put our submission forward and it was obviously well-supported in the community that the Arrowtown ward would be retained."
"We would be disappointed if the ward gets demolished ...
"Representation would be lost; the connection we have had over the years would be lost."
Councillor and Arrowtown ward representative Lex Perkins was unable to comment ahead of Friday's meeting.
QLDC regulatory and corporate general manager Roger Taylor said a small number of submitters from Arrowtown had supported the council's original proposal.
"They made a strong case that the current arrangements limit Arrowtown to one councillor and that being part of a broader Wakatipu ward would create opportunities for more councillors from Arrowtown."
One of those for the abolition of the Arrowtown ward and against the establishment of a community board was Arrowtown resident and real estate agent Michael Tierney.
"There was an emotional weight for its retention, but I don't think a lot of people put a lot of thought into it."
Mr Tierney said Arrowtown had much to gain by becoming part of the Wakatipu ward as it would gain votes on issues it had been left out of in the past.
"It is time for Arrowtown to move on and become part of the wider community," he said.
If the council adopts the recommendation it will be publicly notified and any appeals will be considered by the local government commission.
