Mr Cull and Dunedin City Council chief executive Paul Orders met resident Hoani Langsbury on Thursday to discuss the situation.
Mr Langsbury is a member of the Otago Peninsula Community Board and chairman of the Te Rauone Beach Coast Care Committee.
Mr Cull said the meeting was a chance for a "very constructive exchange of information" about the history of erosion at Te Rauone Beach, as well as the role of the community group calling for the council to act.
A second meeting between Mr Langsbury and council staff was expected to follow in the next week or so, and would be a chance to discuss "what needs to be done, and who has responsibility for doing it," Mr Cull said.
"We are not mucking around."
Mr Langsbury was also upbeat about the "very positive" meeting, but said no commitments had been made yet and the subject of city council funding to help combat the erosion problem was yet to be discussed.
The Otago Daily Times reported on Monday residents were concerned erosion was getting worse at the beach, and could place homes under immediate threat later this year.
Studies commissioned by Port Otago had previously concluded the erosion was largely a natural process, but residents claimed wakes from passing cruise ships and container carriers were making problems worse.
Mr Cull said there remained "two schools of thought" about the cause of the erosion, but the issue had a long history.
Council files showed the first complaints were raised in 1948, while residents had more recently called for action in 2008.
Mr Cull said it was important for the council to "get up to speed with the reality on the ground" after the passing of time and reorganisation of management structures within the council.
"We're just finding the files, if you like."
Port Otago chief executive Geoff Plunket last week told the ODT the company, together with Mr Langsbury's group, had prepared a consent application in July last year for a breakwater and beach replenishment project that would protect the area.
However, the company was seeking $160,000 in funding from the city council for the breakwater part of the project before filing the consent, Mr Plunket said.
Mr Cull said any council funding would still require consideration as part of the annual plan process, or, if work was found to be urgent, be paid for using an authorised overspend.
Council staff were expected to visit the area shortly, and residents were to make a submission on the issue as part of the annual plan consultation process, with public hearings in May.
