By Emily-Rose Toohey
Southern Downs residents have expressed hesitancy regarding the kerbside waste collection expansion, which is set to commence on 4 April.
The expansion was last discussed at the Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) meeting on 23 February, and applicable residents have since received a letter detailing the expansion.
The service will have a three month free trial period, ending on 30 June – $450 will be the cost after the trial.
An anonymous local source, who will be unnamed due to privacy reasons, said she rang the council about the bin collection being of no use to her and her partner.
“If we wanted it, we would have applied for it – we don’t want or need a bin service,” source one said.
This sentiment was voiced by other locals on Facebook after two high traffic posts regarding the expansion gained 124 comments in total at the time of this print.
Source one, who lives on a property with a lengthy driveway, said that the cost is a big strain – especially for pensioners.
“We recycle everything and don’t have the need for two bins,” source one said.
“We take what little rubbish we have to the dump drop going into town, and if we wanted a service, we would have applied for it.”
SDRC Mayor Vic Pennisi said that council would appreciate direct feedback from the community regarding the waste service.
“For those who are unhappy with the service, send us a letter, send us an email, submission or petition, and we’ll take it from there,” Cr Pennisi said.
“This is why we’re doing this three month trial period, to survey to see how it’s going – who’s happy and who’s not happy.”
Source one said she would be happy if there was a choice to have access to the service or not – a sentiment Cr Pennisi said could be on the cards.
“There are a number of issues that we need to understand and we live in a world where decisions can change,” he said.
Source one said she is not alone in being opposed to the expansion, as noted from the Facebook post comments and from her speaking with others in the community.
“If we had a choice, a lot of people would be happier,” source one said.
At the 23 February council meeting, Cr Ross Bartley echoed this statement when he said he was unsure whether rural property owners would utilise the service.
“With those lengthy driveways, property owners find it quite onerous to pull bins down half a kilometre, that they don’t use our service at all but our waste management facilities,” Cr Bartley said.
Cr Sheryl Windle, however, said rural property owners can take their rubbish to the bin in their car before leaving the house.
