April 8, 2014
The region’s small businesses should see a “substantial” reduction in garbage collection charges when the South Burnett Regional Council brings down its 2014-2015 Budget in July.
But residential garbage collection charges are likely to remain the same.
South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann told the Kingaroy Chamber Of Commerce and Industry’s meeting on Monday night the Council was about to enter a new, multi-year waste collection agreement with J.J. Richards and Sons Pty Ltd.
The new contract will see the company take over all the Shire’s refuse collection services from July 1.
The Mayor confirmed today that as part of the new agreement, South Burnett small businesses will see a reduction in garbage collection charges next financial year.
He said small businesses have been charged roughly double the residential garbage collection fee ever since the four former councils were amalgamated in 2008.
This was “an anomaly”.
“Some small businesses do generate a lot of waste which would merit a higher fee. But there are many others that don’t generate much more waste than an ordinary household, and others that generate much less,” he said.
“We couldn’t see why they were being charged the double rate, so we’ll be lowering this in the upcoming Budget.
“This is probably the first time in my 30-odd year career in local government that I’ve ever seen a charge come down once it’s been introduced.
“For a lot of small businesses, the reduction in garbage charges will probably negate or offset the rise in sewerage charges that will also be in the Budget.”
The Mayor said waste-intensive businesses who currently use Council’s skip collection service would need to negotiate directly with J.J. Richards after July 1, but he was sure the rate would be competitive.
He said no jobs have been lost in the transfer.
Some of the existing Kingaroy depot’s refuse collection personnel will be retained to work on rural waste transfer station operations and other outdoor assignments, and some others will transfer to J.J. Richards.
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