Three Dunedin community board leaders are generally happy with the Dunedin City Council's service of rural roads.
The Taieri Times reported earlier this week on the delay in work repairing potholes on two streets in Momona as highlighted by Outram postman Dean Matheson.
He told the Dunedin City Council about the potholes in April but they were yet to be repaired as of last week.
Council transport delivery manager Josh von Pein said the delay had been due to council contractor Downer's subcontractor South Roads being diverted to additional work on Otago Peninsula because of heavy rainfalls there.
Waikouaiti Coast Community Board chairman Alasdair Morrison said the city council and contractors were quick to respond when alerted to damaged rural roads.
If community board members spotted any roads in disrepair or were notified by members of the public, they contacted the Dunedin City Council.
Mr von Pein said contractors should repair defects to unsealed roads identified during inspections within seven working days, unless an identified defect presented a danger to road users, then it should either be repaired or isolated immediately.
Communication was "really good'' with the council, Mr Morrison said.
Mosgiel Taieri Community Board chairwoman Sarah Nitis said her experience had been really positive.
Under the new contract with Downer, introduced a year ago, there was more transparency of expectations between the council, contractors and the community.
"The structure of those new contracts is far tighter and allows the council to have more control of expectations and outputs.''
Mrs Nitis said she was disappointed Mr Matheson had not contacted the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board to discuss the Momona potholes.
Saddle Hill Community Board chairman Scott Weatherall said the board had a good working relationship with council staff and the council was "reasonably good'' at responding to roading concerns raised by the board.
He said concerns were addressed within the seven-day time-frame most of the time.
Mr Weatherall said the board did have roads of concern but he considered the council was working closely with contractors to get the "best service possible for the residents''.
JOSHUA.RIDDIFORD @thestar.co.nz
