Orange City Council meeting: Cr Frances Kinghorne asks for more options in city's bulky waste dilemma

Council staff had recommended choosing between scheduling a kerb-side bulky waste collection similar to the one carried out in February this year or revert to a user-pay service, costing $220.25 for residents who book collection when required.

Council staff asked for a decision after presenting a report to the meeting which suggested uptake for the kerb collection offered in February was 'moderate'.

The report stated only 45 per cent of house holds used the service but all ratepayers contributed $11.60, which would go up to $11.95 if another service was scheduled to February 2023.

Cr Frances Kinghorn said she was curious as to why there were only two options presented to the meeting and asked for deferral so more options could be explored.

She also asked why there wasn't a more user-friendly option that the $220.25 cost for a one-off collection.

"$220.25 is too expensive for most people but the bulky waste collection itself, we do look like a rubbish tip for a month and I can't understand why, as other council's do, we can't have a season where people can ring up and book a bulky waste service that's a lot cheaper than that, if it's done in blocks."

Cr Kinghorne said that if ratepayers still paid the $11.95, $210,000 would be raised. Based on a take-up usage similar to that noted in the report, she said it should cost around $30 for a user payer service.

"So it obviously can come out at cheaper than $220," she said. Cr Kinghorne said the Hills Shire Council in Sydney had a twice-yearly service where ratepayers could book a collection inline with scheduling for that area.

"I think there should be other options and it should be cheaper if they are clever about how it's done."

Technical Services director Ian Greenham said council was hamstrung to some extent by the resources of its waste contractor JR Richards and Sons which may not be able to do a 'campaign pickup' .

"But happy to investigate it," he said.

The full user pay fee was an option used around three or four years but Mr Greenham said bringing it back was a way to reduce the cost of rates, with the first notice to go out in September.

Mr Greenham also pointed out green waste and white goods could be dumped the Resource Recycling Centre at non charge.

Mayor Jason Hamling suggested bulky waste had historically been a hot topic and said he liked the idea of a YourSay online survey while Cr Whitton suggested strategically placed skips bins.

Cr Peterson asked if there was an increase in illegal dumping when the service was user pays.

Cr Glenn Floyd said he disagreed with the report saying bulky waste collection was a non-essential service.

"It moved over 530 tonnes of goods, To me, that doesn't make it an non-essential service: Especially when there was probably a lot of pilfering going on."

The cost of $220 to lower socio-economic pockets of the community was the issue for Cr Mel McDonnel and Cr David Mallad, the latter also asking for a closer look at recycling.

Cr Kinghorne's deferral was supported unanimously with staff to produce the report prior to the first rates assessment notices going out in September.

In other business, Cr Tammy Greenhalgh will be the fourth councillor to sit on a panel to oversee the performance of Chief Executive Officer David Waddell , as per Local Government policy.

Cr Greenhalgh will join mayor Jason Hamling, deputy mayor Gerald Power and Cr Jeff Whitton on the pane.

Tuesday night's meeting was opened by Youth Action Council member Jessica Whan, who spoke to council about a number of ideas and issues concerning YAC, including running festivals, a Rainbow event for the LGBQTA+ community, free wifi in the central business district and asking for an arcade-style amusement centre and another youth hub similar to the Glenroi centre.

Cr Jack Evans attended the meeting by Zoom.