Extending the geographic boundaries councillors must cover will "dilute local knowledge" and lead to a council disconnected from its communities, a Central Otago district councillor has warned. A government ultimatum to restructure local government issued by Local Government Minister Simon Watts and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop last week gives councils three months to put forward voluntary reorganisation proposals, or face having a structure imposed on them by central government. Cr Bob Scott said amalgamations risked alienating councils from the people they served. "Extending the geographic boundaries each elected member must cover would dilute local knowledge and lead to a council that is disconnected from its communities." He welcomed closer co-operation with Gore, Clutha and Waitaki, but drew a firm line at Queenstown Lakes, which he believed was in a weaker financial position.…