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Kawau Island residents look set to lose their subsidised rubbish collection, as Auckland Council reviews its waste plan for islands in the Hauraki Gulf and moves towards a rates-funded system for all.
At present, Kawau householders have to transport their rubbish to Sandspit and dispose of it in bins in a gated enclosure, from where council collects it and takes it to landfill. They are not charged for this service, but are subsidised by ratepayers to the tune of almost $45,000 a year, or around $156 per eligible property.
Council waste planning advisor Elizabeth Driver told a Rodney Local Board workshop on November 8 that the Sandspit bin system was only ever meant to be a medium term solution and council was working with residents, mana whenua and other stakeholders to find a solution to suit everyone.
“It costs a lot of money to provide a service to islands, and until now Kawau residents have not been charged for the removal of their rubbish from Sandspit enclosure,” she said.
“We’ve always talked about bringing in a charge, but one that is commensurate and fair with the service received.”
Driver said if the Sandspit collection service wasn’t subsidised, islanders would be facing bills of $1500 to $2000 a year.
In addition to the cost to council and other ratepayers, the workshop heard that only around half the rubbish at the Sandspit bins was from Kawau residents, with the rest being dumped illegally by visitors or businesses.
“It is challenging,” she said. “It’s very difficult to change people’s behaviour, where they are used to having free access to a free service, and I’m not talking about Kawau residents here, I’m talking about visitors and local commercial businesses.
“One of the things we need to do is make sure anyone using it is paying appropriately.”
However, she said there was a way to go in working out how exactly that would be done, and a fair way of doing it.
“We’ve looked at a number of different options for providing a service to Kawau. What we’ve heard from Kawau is that they prefer collection from Sandspit – we’re just trying to balance that with Sandspit and mana whenua interests about where that location could be.”
Board members offered several suggestions, including providing island residents with special rubbish bags or with vouchers that could be used at the nearby Lawrie Road recycling and transfer station.
Driver said everything would be considered over the coming months.
“We’re super-keen to hear all ideas to get a good picture of what we’re dealing with and will continue conversations with the board, local residents and mana whenua,” she said. “We’re open to all options.”
She added that meetings were being held with mana whenua and Kawau residents to make sure future solutions were acceptable to everyone and that a balance could be found.
