At an Otago Regional Council meeting yesterday, councillors defended Dunedin’s bus services, which have recently taken heat from the community.
Otago Peninsula Community Board chairman Paul Pope this week said hopefully there would be an "angry mob with burning torches and pitchforks" over the council’s decision to not alter peninsula bus routes.
Cr Michael Deaker questioned his "maturity and intelligence" over the comments.
"Dear God, what kind of leadership is that?"
Cr Michael Laws said Mr Pope was a "failed council candidate" who wanted to use the issue to get on the city council next term.
The problem was a failure of communication on the council’s behalf, which made it a "punching boy", he said.
Cr Trevor Kempton agreed communication was the problem and that bus services were of a "perfectly good standard".
When asked to respond, Mr Pope said his torches and pitchforks comment was "tongue in cheek" and meant to bring humour to a bad situation.
Mr Law’s personalised comments were "disappointing" and showed he was trying to deflect from the council’s poor performance on the issue, he said.
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