Dunedin City Council (abbr. DCC; ) is the territorial authority for the city of Dunedin, New Zealand, and its surrounding area, including the towns of Mosgiel, Brighton and Waikouaiti. It serves as the area's local government alongside the Otago Regional Council as the regional council. It was established in 1989, replacing a borough council of the same name that had existed since 1877.
The governing body of the council has 14 councillors and is chaired by the mayor of Dunedin (currently Sophie Barker since October 2025). There are also six community boards.
History
Predecessors The original Dunedin City Council existed from 1877 to 1989.
Governing body
Mayor
One mayor is elected at large. They chair meetings of council and act as the elected head of local government. Current composition The current members of the governing body of council are:
RolePortrait NameAffiliationMayor Sophie Barker IndependentDeputy mayor Cherry Lucas IndependentCouncillor Andrew Simms Future DunedinCouncillor Lee Vandervis IndependentCouncillor Jo Galer IndependentCouncillor Marie Laufiso Building KotahitakaCouncillor John Chambers Your Health CandidateCouncillor Russell Lund IndependentCouncillor Brent Weatherall IndependentCouncillor Steve Walker LabourCouncillor Mickey Treadwell GreenCouncillor Mandy Mayhem IndependentCouncillor Benedict Ong IndependentCouncillor Christine Garey IndependentCouncillor Doug Hall Independent
List of members by term +TermMayorCouncillorsRef.1st1989–1992Richard Walls2nd1992–19953rd1995–1998Sukhi Turner4th1998–20015th2001–20046th2004–2007Peter Chin7th2007–20108th2010–2013Dave Cull 9th2013–2016 9th2016–2019 10th2019–2022 Aaron Hawkins(Green) 11th2022–2025 Jules Radich(Team Dunedin) 12th2025–2028 Sophie Barker
Elections Elections for the councillors for the 2025–2028 term were held in October 2025. Councillor Jules Radich died on 4 January 2026, triggering a by-election held in May 2026. The by-election was won by independent candidate Jo Galer.
List Council
Mayoral
Community boards The council has created six local community boards under the provisions of Part 4 of the Local Government Act 2002, each with six elected members and one councillor appointed by the council:
Strath Taieri Community Board Waikouaiti Coast Community Board Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board Saddle Hill Community Board West Harbour Community Board, and Otago Peninsula Community Board.
These community boards are intended to provide advice to the city council regarding the interests of the communities they represent.
Coat of arms and flag
The flag of the city of Dunedin is a banner of arms in white and green and featuring the castle, lymphad, ram's head and wheat sheafs as on the coat of arms.
References
External links