However, the council has stuck by Mr Hovell, and says the issue has already been explored.
Mr Hovell works as the commissioner of the district plan, which has had continued hearings through this past week.
At a recent council meeting, this role came under fire from community advocates, who questioned his potential conflicts of interests.
Groundswell NZ spokesmen Laurie Paterson and Bryce McKenzie, in their address to the council, noted his ties to the community and local Iwi, his role on the council, and his role in the original drafting of the plan as a consultant.
Mr Paterson said although it was unclear what this role was, Mr Hovell had still worked on the original plan.
"It’s reasonably difficult to get any information, and this may not be right because it’s hard to find out.
"But he was employed by the Gore District Council in the capacity of planning contractor," he said.
Mr McKenzie said he did not think Mr Hovell was to blame for taking on the role of commissioner, instead placing it on the council.
"I don’t know that it’s entirely just his fault. It’s the council’s fault that this has been able to happen.
"He’s just somebody that’s put his hand up for a job and he’s obviously got it," he said.
Mr McKenzie said there were laws to prevent these conflicts of interest, and it was important for the council to be seen to take it seriously.
"It does state that it only has to be a perceived conflict of interest and in the community, there is a perceived conflict of interest.
"The old saying is that the justice should be done, but also should be seen to be done," he said.
Gore District Council chief executive Debbie Lascelles said in a statement concerning the registry of interest for the proposed district plan that the concern had already been explored by lawyers.
"The legal team determined that there is no evidence to indicate that Cr Hovell has predetermined any issue prior to the hearings.
"Nor is there any evidence that Cr Hovell is a member of any organisation or entity that would be affected by the decisions of the PGDP."
Mrs Lascelles stated Mr Hovell’s role in the initial draft was advisory and managerial.
"Cr Hovell had no involvement in the drafting of the PGDP. This was entirely completed by the Property Group.
"Cr Hovell did take a lead role in the oversight of its development [appointing consultants and reviewing chapters] as a councillor as part of the new council elected in November 2022."
In the Commissioner Interest Register, Mr Hovell has five potential conflicts of interest noted.
Most notable is his work when he was previously contracted to the Gore District Council as a resource management consultant.
The document states Mr Hovell requested he be excluded from making decisions on submissions to the light, signs, earthworks, energy, infrastructure and activities on the surface of water chapters of the proposed District Plan.
