By JESSE GRAHAM
HEALESVILLE’S tip is set to close, despite not a single resident writing to the council to support the closure, and campaigners saying the consultation was a “waste of time”.
At the Yarra Ranges Council’s 10 June meeting, councillors resolved to close the Healesville Waste Transfer Station on 14 February 2015 in a five-to-three vote.
The decision came after a council decision on 25 March to advertise the intention to close the service, and 28 days of consultation, which finished on 1 May.
During this period, 44 residents and organisations wrote in opposition to the closure proposal.
After the consultation period had ended, a petition of 504 signatures against the closure was submitted to the council.
Healesville Action Group (HAG) member John Anwin spoke against the closure at the 10 June meeting and told The Mail that he was disappointed with the outcome.
He said that he believed the community consultation on the tip’s closure was largely ignored by the council.
“Over 600 people said that the tip needs to remain – but they made up their mind,” he said.
“It was a complete waste of time.”
Yarra Ranges Mayor and Ryrie Ward councillor Fiona McAllister moved against the closure at the meeting and put forward an alternative motion in an effort to keep the service running.
Cr McAllister said not one person had submitted to the council in favour of closing the Healesville tip and that almost 600 voices had spoken out against cutting the service.
She said that the view of the submitters was not represented in the council officer’s report, which recommended closing the tip at a saving to the council of $900,000 over the following seven years.
“I absolutely believe we have to be fiscally responsible but it should not involve cutting core services,” Cr McAllister said.
“Over 600 voices have spoken and said ‘this is what we want our rates spent on’.”
However, Cr McAllister’s motion was lost and the majority of councillors voted in favour of closing down the service, with the option of reinvesting the $900,000 savings into improved waste management services.
Councillor Terry Avery said that tips were a core business for councils but said that, due to low visitation numbers and the close proximity to Coldstream’s tip, the closure was justified.
“I agree with you (Cr McAllister), that tips are very much council’s core business but they must run effectively and efficiently,” Cr Avery said.
Issues raised through submissions, including fears of increased illegal rubbish dumping and environmental impacts of an additional 20 kilometre trip to the Coldstream service were addressed in the council officer’s report.
According to the report, monitoring for dumped rubbish will be required in the aftermath of the tip closure and the council has a dedicated litter enforcement officer to help to address the issue.
The environmental concerns of the individual trips from Healesville to Coldstream will be offset by a reduction in the number of trucks taking rubbish along the same route and machinery sorting the refuse at both tips, the report said.
However McAllister contested that component of the officer’s report at the meeting.
In 2013, the Healesville tip had 3824 visitors during its two days per week of operation, compared to 56,753 in Coldstream.
Both tips, however, had experienced a rise in visitation, with 3084 and 23,068 visitors to the respective services the year before.
The Healesville tip also does not generate profits for the council because its operations were contracted to Knox Transfer Station Pty Ltd – not leased, as is the case with the shire’s other tips.
