Ratepayers' Alliance Welcome Penny Webster's Support of Competition in Waste Industry

15 JULY 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is welcoming confirmation by Rodney ward councillor Penny Webster that she believes that residents should not be forced to pay through their rates for any waste collection services if they choose to use private services. The confirmation comes after a Ratepayers’ Alliancecampaign calling for an opt-out option for new waste services the Council is proposing to introduce in Rodney and Albany.

Jo Holmes, a spokesperson for the Ratepayers’ Alliance says:

“Cr Webster’s approach rules out the Council using targeted or general rates to cross subsidise Council refuse or green waste collection where there are alternative private operators providing a similar service or a ratepayer chooses to do their own waste disposal — such as farmers disposing their own green waste.”

“Ratepayers will welcome this approach. It will ensure that any new service Council elects to provide will need to be cost effective and survive on its own merits in a marketplace where private sector competitors have equal footing. “

“On this basis Rodney residents would only pay the direct costs of Council run recycling through their targeted rates (as there is no private sector option) with no hidden charge for refuse collection service or green waste collection.”

“Councillor Webster said she supports a competitive market for refuse collection as currently in place in Rodney and will not support any Council entry into the market that is cross-subsidised from general or targeted rates.”

“Our campaign called on Cr Webster to stand up for her local community, and it looks like she’s doing just that. Ratepayers of Rodney will welcome her approach.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media