HINDMARSH Shire Council will offer fee relief for rubbish disposal within the municipality.
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Residents can receive a free voucher to dispose of rubbish at council’s transfer station if they keep receipts from previous visits.
Mayor Ron Ismay said the program was available to residents who took four transfer station receipts to any of council’s customer service centres in Dimboola, Nhill, Rainbow or Jeparit.
“Residents who bring in four receipts will receive a free transfer station voucher for the average value of their receipts,” he said.
“Over the past few years council has also offered a free green waste month in October.
“This encourages residents to tidy their properties prior to the fire danger period, and has been well received.”
Other councils also offer similar green waste initiatives.
Dimboola resident Stuart Dettmann contacted the Mail-Times concerned about the cost of rubbish disposal.
He said he had spoken to other residents – particularly pensioners – who found it difficult to afford tip fees.
“Older people need help getting things out of their yards, otherwise they become very untidy. But a lot of pensioners can’t afford the cost to move things out,” he said.
“Council used to offer some free tickets each year.
“It costs so much to go to the tip with a trailer – the prices are out of this world.
“Residents are receiving notices to clean up their properties before the Fire Danger Period, but it might cost a couple of hundred dollars for some people to do this.
“I think we should get three free tickets for the tip a year.
“I think residents should also be able to put our stuff on the nature strip and have the council collect it, like they used to do in the past.
“We paying high rates – we deserve something back for it.”
Council chief executive Greg Wood said one of council’s primary concerns was the need to ensure fees and charges were balanced with cost recovery and affordability for ratepayers.
“Council does not own any landfill sites and therefore has to transport rubbish from both household collection and transfer stations to the landfill facility at Dooen,” he said.
“The costs involved for these services are not set by Hindmarsh Shire Council.”