Waste costs major issue

The biggest issue in the annual plan budget for the year ahead, as identified by Queenstown Lakes District Council staff, is the costing of new waste management services.

A council rates and annual plan facts session held in Wanaka yesterday attracted just a handful of ratepayers, who had a large selection of council staff, Wanaka community board members and councillors to question.

Deputy chief executive officer and finance manager Stewart Burns told the Otago Daily Times the highlights of the 2008-09 draft annual plan included more transparent financial information, as the council moved into a new era of service delivery.

Several contracts would expire on June 30 and new contractors would take over on July 1.

Ratepayers should find it easier to understand what they were paying for and would be able to see a reduction in charge-out rates and fees, especially in relation to Lakes Environmental planning and resource management services, Mr Burns said.

Submissions indicated the biggest issue ratepayers faced was coming to grips with changes to new waste management charges, Mr Burns said. A new residual waste service begins in September.

Every eligible resident will have either a new 120-litre wheelie bin, which will be owned by the council and emptied by council contractors, or 52 blue plastic bags a year if they live rurally or have issues with access.

In the Wakatipu ward, residents will also receive a 140-litre recycling bin (a crate for rural residents) and in the Wanaka ward, residents will get a 60-litre recycling crate.

Now, wheelie bin users pay a $434, while blue bag users (at one bag a week) pay $261 a year in waste collection fees. The figures include a $152 waste management charge.

Under the new system, both wheelie bin users and blue bag users will pay only a $269 waste management charge, but will get a smaller wheelie bin than now used under private hire contracts.

The council believes the changes will reduce costs for ratepayers because they will no longer have to pay a private hire fee for a wheelie bin or pay $2 a week for the bag.

It is intended in about a year's time the system will include a third wheelie bin for greenwaste.

Mr Burns said the council also needed to consider down the track what to do with commercial food waste.

Wanaka was well ahead in recycling management and at 33% had almost reached the district-wide target of 35% diversion from landfill. Wakatipu was at at 19%.

Communications manager Meaghan Miller explained the $269 annual charge comprised $143 for the cost of operating the landfill, depots, transfer stations and waste management infrastructure.

Collection services for recycling and residual waste would each cost $63 a year.

Otago Southland Waste Services (OSWS) could collect the hired large wheelie bins. The council negotiated for a refund of any unused portion of contracts with private bin hirers.

New bins would be smaller because recycling reduces the amount of material going into the bins.

- The QLDC will hold another public annual plan and rates information session in Queenstown today from 3pm-6pm at Queenstown Primary School.

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