By April Murphy
Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has announced that the City Council Kerbside Collection services have been postponed until July 2022. The clean-up service is an initiative that the administration offers yearly, to assist residents in disposing of large household items.
Dissatisfied residents have condemned Cr Schrinner for the budget cut related decision. Subsequently, the Labor Councillor Kara Cook, responsible for the Morningside Ward, started a petition in order to have Kerbside clean-up immediately reinstated.
The appeal has now closed, and the council is said to consider the request and make a final decision on July 1st – what did not happen. SolutionWire is in contact with the public administration.
The online petition received almost five and a half thousand signatures over a short space of time.
Cr Schrinner says the decision was needed, alongside the council’s pay freeze, to claw back a combined $50 million from the expected $142.5 million holes in revenue as a result of the pandemic.
“I love it too, but it is hard to find savings without slashing essential services.” Lord Mayor Schrinner says.
Residents
“The news that the council have suspended Kerbside clean-up is very disappointing. I work long hours and it is extremely hard for me to get to the dump. Not to mention that dump fees are expensive and with all the recent job losses, the fees of going to the dump are an additional cost that some families will not be able to afford,” says Catherine Schaffer, resident of Milton.
“As someone who uses the service every year, cancellation of the Kerbside clean-up was frustrating to hear. It is one of the few council initiatives I actually take advantage of. Surely there are other, less utilised services that could be cut to save money,” says Ellen Grove, resident of Peter Rees.
In place of the Kerbside clean-up, Cr Schrinner has said that renters will now also receive tip vouchers. Larger recycling and green waste bins will be made available for all residents, and a possible volunteer scheme that will assist the elderly and the disabled in clearing their unwanted, larger household hide items.
“With the COVID-19, our household has been culling to the max. We don’t have a trailer, so we relied upon this service,” resident of Morningside, Mike Roughles says.