I thought a recent case in the Land and Environment Court was significant enough in its findings to warrant revisiting this subject. We’ve discussed the council controls associated with earthworks on several occasions (Feb 2019, Jun 2012, Sep 2011), but I’ve never quite gone as far as discussing the point at which earthworks might be classified as illegal dumping, a much more serious issue than simply unapproved works. (more…)
The QPR Blog
…local government stuff you never even thought to ask about…
Waste Not Want Not
You wouldn’t normally expect international trade agreements to have a direct impact on the local government sector, but China’s National Sword program, which has restricted the importation of recyclable material since 1 January 2018, has hit many councils squarely in the Rs—the Rubbish part of their Rates, Roads and Rubbish portfolio, to be precise. (more…)
Waste Management
Having dealt with rates (to some extent) and roads in recent posts, I thought I’d round out council’s three ‘R’s with a few words on rubbish. It’s a bit of a dirty subject in several ways, not least because of the costs involved.
Most readers will be aware that new waste transfer stations are under construction at both the current Bungendore and Macs Reef Road tip sites. The works that are currently under way in both locations are plain to see. Both facilities are due to come into service on 4 December 2014. At this time, the associated landfill areas will be closed, and Palerang Council’s waste management model will change, most significantly in that residents will be charged at the gate of the new facilities to dispose of rubbish. (more…)
Local Government Funding
At the risk of sounding like I’m making a political statement in the shadow of the federal budget, but following on from the posts of recent months, I thought I’d provide an overview of the regular sources of funding that allow council to carry on its business. Of course it’s budget time for council too, so the following information is also topical in that respect. All quoted figures are from council’s most recent (2012-2013) Audit Report. (more…)
Waste Management Surveys
The results of waste management surveys conducted during February/March in the Carwoola/Primrose Valley and Sutton East areas will be presented to Council at its April General Meeting. The following is a summary of the results. (more…)
Macs Reef Road WTS DA Approved
It’s taken a while, but development approval for the Macs Reef Road waste transfer station was finally granted by a special sitting of the Joint Regional Planning Panel today (24 January 2013). Members of the Panel were quite complimentary in noting the level of community involvement with the project, remaking that while not unheard of, it was quite unusual for projects like this.
The new facility will be constructed in the area between the existing landfill and Macs Reef Road and is due for completion by the middle of 2014, in the same time frame as the Bungendore waste transfer station. The current landfill will remain open until the new waste transfer station is operational, at which time it will be closed an rehabilitated in accordance with the conditions of consent for the new facility. (more…)
Macs Reef Road WTS development delayed
Unfortunately, we’ve hit a bit of a snag with the Development Application for the new waste transfer station at the Macs Reef Road tip site. The consultant who was contracted to assess the DA (Council will generally engage a third party to assess DAs in which Council has a direct interest) ‘discovered’ a potable bore in the vicinity of the site, and this unfortunately means that the new facility falls into the category of a Designated Development. (more…)
Survey Results
The results from the recent recycling service surveys conducted in Royalla and Burra/Urila are now available on-line. You can browse the individual survey responses, and generate a basic set of statistics for each survey. (more…)