AFTER four years without the service, Orange City Council has offered a way for bulk waste collections to go forward next financial year.
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Councillors delayed public exhibition of the draft budget by three weeks to add bulky waste collections, amid concerns it would not be able to be added after exhibition if the public had not been given the opportunity to consider it.
They will consider an updated report on Tuesday night, where council staff provided three options.
The first was to maintain the current user-pays collection costing $220, which staff said was comparable to the cost of a skip bin service.
The second was an on-call service twice a year for the collection of two cubic metres-worth of rubbish, which residents could schedule with the council at a cost of $82.50 a year.
It would need at least 30 households a year to sign up to make it viable.
The third was an annual pick-up once a year and levied against all ratepayers whether they used it or not, for $12.50 - the Central Western Daily understands ratepayers will be required to sort their rubbish into refrigerated bulky waste requiring degassing, scrap steel and general bulky waste in order to maximise recycling.
It is an essential service for the elderly and those who don't have utes and vans.
- Deputy mayor Sam Romano
Council staff considered the third option the best value for a council-wide service.
The state government requires councils to fully cover the cost of waste collections through annual rates.
Deputy mayor Sam Romano moved to investigate re-introducing bulky waste in December 2017 and welcomed the addition to the draft budget.
"It only took two years," he said.
"It is an essential service for the elderly and those who don't have utes and vans."
Cr Romano said $12.50 was a sensible price to pay.
"I can recall some people were happy to pay more," he said.
Subject to councillor support on Tuesday night, the council will place the documents on its YourSay website and the Central Western Daily understands parts of the consultation will be focused on the bulky waste issue.
Councillor Jeff Whitton will raise his proposal for the easing of procurement restrictions and councillors will be asked to vote for a finance policy committee chair after the resignation of councillor Joanne McRae last month.
In closed session, they will also consider a request for financial assistance from Orange Uniting Church.
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