COUNCIL DITCHES KERBSIDE CLEAN-UP

new service is an annual, one-off bulk collection service which residents arrange to suit themselves.

Council said providing a bulk waste pickup between April and June 2023 just ahead of the introduction of a new waste collection regime could prove counter productive.

It has also been advised the contractor had deployed its resources in to prepare for the new service beginning in July.

It also noted the impact of not providing the service would be minimal as many items left on the footpath would comfortably fit in the red bin, which was emptied fortnightly.

The downside will be the treasures rescued from the kerbside trash will now be consigned to landfill.

The council report revealed there were also budgetary implications in the decision, with staff projecting a saving of more than $400,000 by cancelling the 2023 bulk waste collection.

Council’s domestic waste management fund has been in trouble, losing $528,821 in 2021-22.

The report said this occurred because costs had increased while revenue from the annual waste charge for ratepayers had not increase.

again in 2022-23, but less than the previous year.

The $400,000 saving from cancelling the bulk waste collection program would contribute to savings.

The council estimated it would need to increase the waste management charge included in the rates nation by $18 a household to cover that shortfall.

It recognised at a time of cost of living stress, it was better to cut the service rather than increase charges.

In August 2022 the council accepted a tender from waste collector J R Richards & Sons for waste collection and processing services for 10 years beginning from July 1, 2023.

A feature of the

The Covid-19 pandemic and floods have disrupted the kerbside clean-up.

There was no kerbside cleanup for two years in 2020 and 2022 and in 2021 pick-ups were delayed, leaving rubbish piled on footpaths for weeks.

There had also been a higher than budgeted increase in organic waste due to exceptional growing seasons in 2021 and 2022.

A staff restructure also created extra salaries which had not been included in the budget.

Council has budgeted a loss for the waste fund

The council said it also needed to replenish the waste management fund to pay for a construction of a fourth composting tunnel to process organic waste.

The kerbside cleanup had become an annual event in the region with residents placing large unwanted items on the footpath ahead of the rostered pick-up time in their region.

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