Only 11 councillors will sit at the council table after Cr Scott resigned last month when the government blocked a vote on the council’s contentious land and water plan.
Councillors voted not to replace their departed colleague at a council meeting in Balclutha last week.
Cr Tim Mepham asked if the council had any other options for reallocating Cr Scott’s unclaimed salary.
Council strategy and customer general manager Amanda Vercoe said no.
The Remuneration Authority determined that if the vacancy was not filled, Cr Scott’s unpaid salary must be distributed among the remaining councillors.
Mrs Vercoe said there were nine scheduled full council meetings before the end of this term.
It is the second consecutive three-year term in which an Otago regional councillor has resigned in protest.
Three years ago, councillor Marian Hobbs quit the council after a controversial vote on low-flow settings for the Manuherikia River.
She too was not replaced.
Both resignations were within a year of the next local election and so no by-elections have been required.
Councillors did have an option to appoint a replacement for Cr Scott, but did not take it.
