28 May 2008

Media release

Inorganics biggest issue at Annual Plan hearings

The future of the inorganic rubbish collection is, as expected, the major issue Waitakere residents want to talk about in their Annual Plan submissions.

The council began hearings on its Annual Plan (budget), having received some 350 submissions covering more than 1,113 individual items.

The future of the inorganic collection has attracted 103 submissions. There were 38 submissions on community safety and crime prevention, while road safety at Waitakere Primary School attracted 24 submissions and parks planning and the proposal to establish a targeted rate for businesses on Te Atatu Peninsula received about 20 submissions each.

The future of the inorganic collection was identified in advance, by the council, as a key issue for consultation. The council noted that the present kerbside inorganic collection has a number of “down-sides”, including the fact that it appears to be being abused by commercial operators.

Not only that, but up to 60% of the inorganic rubbish put out for collection is thought to come from outside the city. There are also health and safety issues, plus many complaints every year from residents who consider the piles of inorganic material create an eyesore.

The council suggests there may be other ways to provide a collection that eliminate these negative impacts.

The council has predicted a rise in the rates it has control over, of 7.4%. To this is added levies to help fund regional facilities, such as the War Memorial Museum and MOTAT. Collectively, these rises will add about $3 per week to a property with a land value of $270,000.

“While we wanted a lower rates increase – and we might still get it - the fact is that costs are rising around us and so we have to receive more income just to stand still – and we can’t just stand still. This is a growing city and we must provide the facilities that it needs to meet the growth in population,” says Annual Plan Committee Chairman, Cr Janet Clews.

“People frequently ask why our rates increase faster than inflation, but inflation is not just measured by the consumer price index (or CPI). The CPI keeps track of household costs but our costs are driven by other things. Fuel hits us hard – both in the form of fuel and also in the costs of fuel-based products such as bitumen. Likewise, the cost of building materials is rising sharply,” she says.

“While the CPI is rising at about 2% a year, the Construction Index which impacts us very heavily is rising at 5% a year,” she says.

The hearings and deliberations continue until 24 June.

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