FEBRUARY 14, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
(Damjan Janevski)
Royal relay rolls in The sun was shining, the crowds were cheering and there were smiles all around when the Queen’s Baton Relay came to Werribee yesterday. School students, residents and traders were out in force in Werribee’s CBD to cheer on the 16 baton bearers selected to take part in the local leg of the relay, which started at Werribee Primary School and wove its way around Werribee’s CBD before finishing up at Chirnside Park. The baton bearers posed for photos with family and friends, high-fived school students and waved to crowds lining the street. Werribee CFA captain and MICA flight paramedic Michael Wells said he had been humbled by the once-in-a-lifetime experience. “You’re with some amazing people in the community who do so much,” he said. “I sat between a Commonwealth gold medallist and an Olympic gold medallist – it was amazing.” Former Wyndham citizen of the year Julie Toner said she was amazed by how many people had come out to show their support. She shared the sentiments of many baton bearers when she said she was happy not to have dropped the baton. “It was much heavier than I thought it would be,” she said. ■ Turn
to pages 14 and 15 for full coverage of the event.
BATON BEARER MADISON ROBINSON
Tip tokens phased out By Alesha Capone Wyndham council is set to reduce the number of tip tokens residents receive each year from two to one. At present, Wyndham ratepayers receive two tip tokens on their annual rates’ notice. Each token allows them to take a car full of rubbish, plus a loaded trailer, to the Werribee tip. But last week the council adopted a plan to offer a subsidised green waste service and three hard waste collections per year (instead of two) in place of the second tip token.
The changes to the council’s waste service are set to be introduced for the 2018-19 financial year. They form part of council’s Wyndham’s Waste and Litter Strategy, which aims to achieve a 90 per cent reduction in the amount of rubbish sent to landfill by 2040. The strategy also aims to “gradually phase out” tip tokens. A council report stated that in the past financial year, only 28 per cent of Wyndham residents used the tip token service, which equated to a total of 44,374 tokens being
redeemed in 12 months. Wyndham’s environment and sustainability portfolio holder, Cr Heather Marcus, said a key reason behind the changes was to make waste services more accessible to more residents, especially renters. “Currently residents can book two hard waste collections each year, while the owner of the property receives two tip tokens,” she said. “Unfortunately, landlords often fail to forward these tokens on to people renting their properties, meaning they miss out on this service.”
Cr Marcus said under the new system the council would subside a green bin service, meaning residents who opted for a green bin would pay $75 annually, as opposed to the present charge of $103.50. Another report is expected to be presented to the council before June 30 this year. It will examine additional ways to help residents dispose of their waste, such as pop-up recycling days, additional recycling services during the festive season, discounted mattress disposal months and green waste disposal promotions.