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A Bendigo councillor has said it is time the city “had a conversation” about the possibility of introducing a hard rubbish collection service.
Whipstick ward councillor Andrea Metcalf said there was demand among members of the public for the council to handle roadside rubbish in Bendigo.
Cr Metcalf said since coming to office she received phone calls from residents worried by waste left on public land instead of being taken to the city’s landfill.
“Certainly people don't like to see rubbish left around, whether its around recreation areas or in the bush,” she said.
“They make contact with us as councillors and ask us to do something about it.”
Cr Metcalf also said hard rubbish collection seemed to work well in municipalities who offered the service.
“They have set days for the hard rubbish, particular days when people can contact the council if they need (collection).”
But the councillor said there were other factors which needed consideration, like a hard waste collection’s impact on charities that resold donated goods.
Certainly people don't like to see rubbish left around, whether its around recreation areas or in the bush.
- Cr Andrea Metcalf
Waste management was the topic of a submission from Cr Metcalf to the Bendigo citizens’ jury in 2016, in which she told jurors: “I know that waste management is not a trendy issue like coffee and culture but the community expects that Council will manage this.”
Among the 44 recommendations of the final Citizens’ Jury report was a call for quarterly hard rubbish collection weekends.
An online poll of Bendigo Advertiser readers also showed overwhelming support for a kerbside collection; as of 3pm today, 95 per cent of the 600 votes received were in favour of a hard rubbish service.
Cr Metcalf’s comments come a day after the City of Greater Bendigo issued a reminder to residents that leaving unwanted items on the nature strip was considered littering and was punishable by fines of more than $300.
All other councillors were contacted for comment.