Changes to Rubbish Services Set to Sting Rodney Ratepayers

19 MAY 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rodney ratepayers will be facing an increase in costs of almost 50% under the Council’s new rubbish system according to new figures released today by theAuckland Ratepayers’ Alliance.

Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Jordan Williams, says:

“The Council and Cr Webster have been pushing the Council’s new rubbish service for the Rodney area as being more efficient than the current system. Figures we have obtained from dozens of requests for information and the Council’s Long Term Plans and Annual Reports show that in fact residents in the area which used to be covered by the Rodney District Council will be paying nearly 50% more in the space of 5 years.”

“Ratepayers in Rodney are being signed up to a new rubbish system that will cost almost 50% more by 2018/19, while our local representatives are claiming that we'll be better off. It is a travesty.”

“Waste management in Rodney is a competitive industry with multiple private competitors looking to provide the most efficient, cost effective services. Yet it appears as though the Council will be making it difficult, if not impossible, for ratepayers to have a reduction in their Council charges should they choose a more efficient private competitor.”

“Councillor Webster talks glibly about ‘efficiency'. Maybe someone has told her the word polls well with voters. But nothing in the material our team has unearthed from the Council shows that it expects efficiency gains or that it is even a purpose of these reforms. It appears that standardisation is being confused with efficiency, when in fact the Council having to compete with nimble private operates is why we get a better deal now.”

“Penny Webster was one of the “Terrible Ten” councillors who voted for Len Brown’s 9.9% rates hike. How she can claim to be representing the interests of Rodney when the area is one of the worst affected by the changes to waste management access to the region is beyond us. She is very clearly one of the Councillors that needs to go at this year’s election if we are going to have any hope of getting better value for money out of Auckland Council.”

Key facts:

• The roll out of councils “New and Efficient” waste system will see some residents paying over 107% more for their waste services from 2014/15 to 2018/19, with Rodney (46% Increase), Waitakare (107% Increase) and North Shore (63.6% Increase) all set for significant increased costs

• The average Rodney household's waste bill will go from $216 to $317 during that time, mostly in the form of higher targeted rates.

ENDS

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