There's an old saying that Councils are about the "Three Rs", roads, rates and rubbish, and these were well covered at the August 15 meeting of Oberon Council.
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When residents received their recent rate notices they also have received the updated list of prices for disposing of rubbish at the tip.
One startling increase was the rise from $30 per cubic metre to $265 for commercial disposal of green waste (this remained free for non-commercial users).
Small business owners (including lawn mowing services) expressed their concerns over the impact the increase would have, including the possibility of having to pay more to dump grass clippings than they earned from mowing jobs.
The increase was due to the processing costs of large items such as stumps and logs and was obviously only intended to impact those wanting to dump material that couldn't be processed by Council. The proposed increase was in line with charges at other tips in the area.
- Oberon Commercial $265, Residential free
- Bathurst Commercial and Residential $166
- Blayney Commercial $194, Residential free
- Blue Mountains Commercial and Residential, Logs/Stumps $265, Branches $259
- Lithgow Commercial $173, Residential free
The varying prices reflect the costs to each council and depend on conditions such as whether the council has its own mulching equipment (Oberon does not).
Councillor Helen Hayden was particularly vociferous about the rise.
"I've had residents complaining loudly about this. How can someone with a lawn mowing service, for example, keep going if it costs more to get rid of the clippings than the income from the work? Council staff should have thought more carefully about the increase and had more discussion with Councillors and the public," she said.
After much debate it was resolved to go back to the 2022-23 charges and establish a working party to determine any new charges and how they can be applied to the various commercial users of the tip.
Council will be seeking input on two other matters. It's not news that Council will be taking back management of the Oberon Fitness Centre and Pool as soon as possible, and the proposed fee structure will be open for public comment. This and the Council's Disability Inclusion Action Plan will be on display at the Council chambers and web site for a suitable period.
The the condition of the roads around town are often discussed within the community, but sometimes the Council does something to fix a problem that might be invisible to the majority of residents.
One such project is the construction of a bridge across the Fish River on Baileys Lane. Residents at the end of the lane were frequently cut off by flooding but the new bridge should keep them attached to the rest of the world except in the most extreme of circumstances.
The recording of the August Council meeting can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTqZ-lGTLrk
