General News
29 June, 2024
Waste fees to rise in line with state costs
Horsham ratepayers will pay the "least possible" increase in waste fees of an average six per cent next financial year.
Bin collection services will increase from $497 to $527 and from $348 to $367 for urban and rural properties respectively.
Fees per bin will increase from $140 to $149 for general waste, recycling and organics bins, and from $80 to $85 for glass collection bins.
Dooen Landfill fees for a minimum three tonne load will rise from $697 to $739 and for loads over three tonnes from $232 to $246.
A Horsham Rural City Council spokesperson said the increases were in line with state budget imposed increases.
"We didn't have a choice, the cost of living is also affecting local councils and governments," they said.
"The council doesn't profit from waste services."
Details of the fees - to be ratified when the delayed HRCC budget is released next month - were released at Monday's council meeting.
Councillors David Bowe, Claudia Haenel and Bob Redden voted against the increases.
Cr Bowe said there were insufficient details, data and justification for the rise.
"I recently inquired about the performance of our four-bin system during a briefing and was informed that a report on the system would be provided at a later date," he said.
"This report should be finalised before any fee increases are finalised.
"The community deserves full transparency on how the fees are calculated and why they are necessary."
HRCC mayor Robyn Gulline said the state government fees and charges directly impacted the statutory fees council was obligated to charge the community.
"In the state government's budget the EPA levies for landfill have risen significantly," she said.
"Council operates waste on a full cost recovery basis, so (we are) just covering the cost of the service.
"No one likes to see fees and charges go up, but if we don't increase it we have to cut services, and our community will be less happy to see services cut than an increase in fees to deliver a service that they expect from us."
HRCC introduced its four-bin kerbside collection program in April last year.
A 120-litre purple-top bin for glass recycling and a green-top bin for food organics and garden organics augmented the pre-existing red-top general waste bin and yellow-top mixed recycling bin.
The rollout was designed to reduce waste going to landfill and limit contamination of the waste streams - the mixing up of different types of waste - and came seven years ahead of the state-imposed compliance deadline for all Victorian councils.
- WITH TONY CURRAN.