Hard waste collection to stay with one new optional collection added
Published on 01 February 2018
Monash residents have voted overwhelmingly to retain the current hard waste collection, with the option of an additional pick-up, and Council has listened and supported their choice.
Council voted at Tuesday night’s meeting to keep the current once-a-year hard waste collection service on a date set by Council with an option for residents to add one at-call collection each year, at a cost of up to $150 to the householder.
Council will also consider a pensioner discount of 10% to the user-pays at-call hard waste collection as part of its 2018/19 budget process. An option to introduce a separate waste bin and environmental charge was also not supported and will not be introduced.
Prior to making its decision, Council surveyed 105,780 ratepayers and tenants in one of its biggest surveys ever in November 2017, seeking feedback on two options for the future hard waste collection.
Option 1 was to retain the current service with an additional at-call collection, option 2 was to offer an enhanced service of up to six booked collection each year of two hard waste, two bundled green waste and two bulk cardboard collections paid for through the introduction of an Environmental Charge.
Mayor Paul Klisaris said the community had sent a clear message and Council had listened.
“To have 29% of residents return the surveys is remarkable and really tells us that our community is passionate about having their say in how hard waste is collected,” Cr Klisaris said.
“Of the 105,780 surveys, 30,918 were returned, with 77% choosing option 1 and 23% option 2.
“We were delighted that so many provided their feedback as it gave us a very clear direction on what option the community preferred.”
Ratepayers and tenants were also surveyed on whether a pensioner discount should be applied to the proposed waste bin charge under option 2.
“A high number of our respondents, 64%, told us they favoured the pensioner discount even if they didn’t necessarily support option 2 which indicates to us that residents feel a great empathy for our pensioners. We want to look at providing a further discount in our 2018/19 budget,” Cr Klisaris said.
The once-a-year hard waste collection will operate as usual in August/September this year and Council will introduce the new optional user-pays hard-waste collection for all residential properties from 1 July 2018.
Media Contact: Jo Robertson 0418 391 979 or email joanne.robertson@monash.vic.gov.au