Free green waste month deferred

By Lachlan Ellis

A motion for a second free green waste month has been rejected at Council’s latest Ordinary Meeting, but the idea hasn’t been tossed in the bin just yet.

Cr Moira Berry proposed that a second month be introduced for Moorabool residents to drop off their green waste for free at transfer stations, given less than 50 per cent of the allocated money for the last free month was spent.

“Residents have been contacting me to ask for another free green waste month as the first free green waste month in this financial period was during a period of heavy rains. Grass continued to grow out of control and left residents with as much green waste as had accumulated prior to the first green waste drop off,” Cr Berry said.

“The uptake for the first free green waste month this financial year was smaller than anticipated, utilising less than 50% of the budget allocated for that free green waste drop off. The surplus of budget means that there is capacity to hold a second free green waste month this financial year in May 2023. This second free green waste month would assist with fire prevention in the Moorabool Shire.”

Cr Tom Sullivan suggested that a report for these sorts of items normally comes before Council before the motion is voted upon, which CEO Derek Madden agreed with.

Cr Paul Tatchell said he couldn’t vote in favour of the motion without a clearer picture of the uptake and spending.

“I get the amount that went into these in terms of uptake. At the start there was a guesstimate in terms of cost…the second thing is, the consideration that they do take your rates notice, so there should be a record of how many people took that up in terms of Ballan, Bacchus Marsh, and Mt Egerton…anyone from the Shire really,” Cr Tatchell said.

“That’s a more important number I think…if we have sub-20 per cent [take-up] it’s very expensive for a minority result. I think I’d like to know those numbers before we go giving that money away.”

Cr Berry said many people she had spoken to “didn’t hear about the green waste, those that phoned me and had used it didn’t get enough time because of the excess rains”.

“I’m not against the idea, but I think making a decision tonight on ratepayers’ money…because that’s what it is, we’re using ratepayers’ money on probably some flimsy data…at best I’d be deferring until we get further information,” Cr Tatchell responded.

Cr Tonia Dudzik supported Cr Berry’s motion, arguing that with the low take-up from the first round, “we still have people with their green waste sitting there”.

“It is a fire risk for many people to have their green waste sitting there, I think it’s a good idea to have a second month and we can review it next year,” Cr Dudzik said.

Crs Berry, Dudzik, and Ally Munari voted in favour of a second free green waste month being held in May, while Crs Tatchell, Sullivan, and David Edwards voted against.

With the tiebreaking vote, Mayor Cr Rod Ward declared the motion lost – however, a report will be prepared for the take-up of last year’s green waste month, to be brought before Council at a later date.