The Otago Regional Council is to dispose of its rabbit-control assets, apart from a depot and oat-processing equipment.
The council stopped using the assets in 2015 and its approach to pest management has focused on its role as a regulator in recent years.
Some equipment was sold to contractors previously, but the council has been slow to deal with the rest, including carrot cutters and mixers, bait feeders and the Galloway depot near Alexandra.
Some of the assets are old and not considered to have any book value.
Councillors this week baulked at a recommendation by council staff that all remaining rabbit-control assets be disposed of.
Cr Gary Kelliher, supported by Cr Hilary Calvert, pushed for the oat-cooking facility at Galloway to be retained.
It could be made available to contractors, although the site would need an upgrade.
"If we lose the ability to cook oats, we wouldn’t get it back again," Cr Kelliher said.
Cr Michael Laws said he was reluctant to get rid of an asset that might yet help the council combat the No1 pest in the Otago region.
A survey last year showed a comfortable majority of respondents were in favour of the council retaining rabbit-control assets.
In their report for this week’s meeting, staff labelled the survey "too simplistic".
They listed a series of benefits that would come from selling all the remaining assets, including supporting the expansion and sustainability of the market for pest control contractors, and removing health and safety risks for the council.
Options for the Galloway depot and oat-processing equipment are set to be considered before the end of the financial year.
