Recycling facility to remain

Clair Higginson.
Clair Higginson.
A recycling facility will remain at its controversial location in Omakau, next to a school and cemetery.

At a meeting in Alexandra on Tuesday the Central Otago District Council decided not to move the drop-off service, which has been housed at Deaker St, on council land, since February.

A council survey on the issue last month received 77 responses from residents of Omakau and surrounding areas.

Before the survey went out the council analysed seven potential sites, and decided only the current site and one at Lauder were viable.

Of the responses, 60% who answered lived outside the town and 75% did not receive council kerbside recycling.

Sixty-two percent of respondents believed it should stay at its current location, about 36% thought it should move to a site at Lauder and about 3% wanted the service removed.

Some comments the council received on survey responses reinforced concerns about the facility's proximity to Omakau School and the town's cemetery.

Cr Clair Higginson said the matter had ''been an issue of some concern for Omakau residents but the council is taking a more global view in making sure everyone has access to recycling''.

Cr Malcolm Topliss supported the recommendation, saying the matters raised by opponents were ''90% resolved''.

Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper said he was ''still copping a hell of a lot of flak'' about the facility being in its current site.

It is next to the school fence, but council placed screening between the school playground and the facility and replaced open wooden crates with lidded wheelie bins.

Its report says there were very few recorded instances of littering, and the site seemed well managed and tidy.

Previously, the bins were located on private land at Hickey's Transport in Omakau.

A plan to fence the property, as well as the property owner becoming concerned about safety with the number of commercial vehicles in the yard, led to the facility being moved.

In May 2015, Omakau and Ophir residents were included council's kerbside recycling service which reduced the number of users.

The recycling facility is now primarily used by residents in the rural areas surrounding the town

jono.edwards@odt.co.nz

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