Green waste plan stumble

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 themercury.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 1300 696 397 KINGBOROUGH Acti ng Mayor Jo Westwood says she will try to resurrect the council’s green waste plans after they unexpectedly failed to pass.

There was community support for introduction of a garden waste collection service across the municipality before concerns over cost, the opt-out process and downstream processing railroaded the vote at Monday’s council meeting.

Community members took to the council’s Facebook page following the announcement of the decision to slam elected members.

Cr Westwood said it was left a little unclear what the council’s position was on a green waste service, and their stance could appear inconsistent after recently voting to declare a climate emergency.

“There were legitimate concerns we would be forcing an additional $80 annual charge on ratepayers who might not need the service,” she said.

“I’m aware there is a significant portion of residents who would welcome kerbside green waste collection, but I also acknowledge there are a variety of reasons why not all residents share this view.

“We want to make sure people who want it can get it and those who don’t, don’t.”

Cr Westwood said she would discuss the green waste proposal with the general manager and look to bring an amended version back to council on August 26.

“It’s a matter of making sure all councillors are comfortable with the opt-out provisions,” she said.

“The model is designed to recover the costs of the collection service so that those not benefiting from the service don’t have to subsidise those who do.”

Mayor Dean Winter, who was on leave from Tuesday, said he supported the proposal being brought back to the council chamber even though he voted against its introduction on Monday.

“In this environment of low wages growth and increases in costs of living now is not the time to add an increase of $80 on to Kingborough families,” he said.

Cr Winter said Kingborough hoped to work with other Greater Hobart councils on a regional solution for a Food Organic and Green Organic collection and processing service.

Former councillor Richard Atkinson — who resigned on Tuesday due to the commitments of a new job — said he was surprised it failed.

“I don’t think it’s very progressive,” he said. “We’ve been talking about and planning to do it for many months.

“The people said they want it and then [we said they] can’t have it.”