Kerb rubbish trial rejected

TOOWOOMBA Regional Council will not proceed with a bulk kerbside collection trial, despite the concept earning support from residents.

Councillors voted at Tuesday’s committee meeting to follow council waste services manager Matt Torr’s recommendation and not consider a program.

This was despite council’s own community consultation showing residents were highly supportive of a street service.

TOOWOOMBA Regional Council will not proceed with a bulk kerbside collection trial, despite the concept earning support from residents.

Councillors voted at Tuesday’s committee meeting to follow council waste services manager Matt Torr’s recommendation and not consider a program.

Three councillors, Kerry Shine, Megan O’Hara Sullivan and James O’Shea, all voted against the motion to reject bulk kerbside collection.

This was despite council’s own community consultation showing residents were highly supportive of a street service, with 68 per cent of more than 900 respondents backing it.

Mr Torr’s report to the councillors outlined a number of issues with implementing a bulk kerbside service, including the start-up costs, safety hazards associated with leaving waste near the road, an increase in scavenging and illegal dumping and its impact on similar private businesses.

His four options included a trial program capped at $500,000, but ultimately he recommended the councillors maintain the status quo.

However, Ms O’Hara Sullivan launched an impassioned defence of the concept, saying the council should back the community’s wishes.

But Councillor Bill Cahill said the report outlined the reasons why the council couldn’t proceed with the plan.