Rural waste service for Ngākuru, Horohoro and Upper Ātiamuri adopted

On 28 October, elected members voted to adopt the extension of the kerbside waste collection service to Ngākuru, Horohoro and Upper Ātiamuri.

Households on sealed roads in Ngākuru, Horohoro and Upper Ātiamuri, will receive rubbish and recycling bins with an information booklet on how to use the service, in the coming months. The service is expected to start in these areas in mid-January 2022.

A community consultation with Ngākuru, Horohoro and Upper Ātiamuri communities took place in July, by Council’s Waste Services team, in collaboration with the Rural Community Board. You can see the results of this consultation HERE.

Rural Community Board Chair Shirley Trumper is thrilled that Council have formally adopted the recommendations put to them by the Rural Community Board, through the Strategy, Policy and Finance committee, to extend the waste service.

“Through the high level of community engagement and positive feedback, these rural residents have shown that they are keen do their part to help protect the environment, and they know that kerbside recycling will help them to do that more easily.”

“It is very pleasing to say the protection of our environment will be sustainably managed district-wide, through Council’s waste services.”

“I look forward to working with Council to get the kerbside service implemented for Ngākuru, Horohoro and Upper Ātiamuri early next year, and want to thank the Waste team for their work on managing this rural waste extension project.”

The service extension will provide Ngākuru, Horohoro and Upper Ātiamuri communities the same level of service for rubbish and recycling as urban areas.

Waste collection is funded across the district by a targeted rate that all ratepayers who receive the service pay ($221.27 per year).

DCE Infrastructure and Environment Stavros Michael says environment. “This rural waste extension is an opportunity for the city as a whole to move closer toward achieving the waste minimization goals highlighted in the Waste Management and Minimization Plan 2016 - 2022, while also offering a convenient waste disposal service to these rural ratepayers.”

Letters about the adoption of the rural waste service extension will be sent to households in Ngākuru, Horohoro and Upper Ātiamuri this week.

Why wasn't it recommended that households on unsealed roads receive the kerbside waste collection service?

Extending the service to unsealed roads was not part of the Waste Services team’s recommendation, due to the low and inconsistent response rate from households on these roads (20 responses total with 50/50 split of those in support/not supportive).

However, Council is keen to work with residents on unsealed roads, who would like to opt into the waste service by using wheelie bin drop-off points as an alternative to kerbside collection.

You can read the report from Council’s Waste Solutions team at the Strategy, Policy and Finance committee meeting, which includes background and consultation results, and the recommendation HERE.