2018-06-27 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA   27 JUNE 2018




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SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                              27 JUNE 2018

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   A Council is required to set its resolutions in relation to rates and charges that appear on the
   rates notice at the time it adopts its budget. This covers general rates, special levies, utility
   charges and the like that appear on the rates notice and includes the waste utility charge. This
   sets out the amount that a Council will charge individual ratepayers (both residential and
   commercial) for the collection and disposal of waste from properties.
   Under current legislation, a Council is unable to amend its rating resolutions once adopted for
   the financial year. Therefore, it is imperative that the State government honours its
   commitment to include enabling regulations as part of this reform to enable Councils to amend
   their rating resolutions so that Councils can include the additional cost incurred as a result of
   the waste levy in its waste utility charge from 1 January 2019.
   Note that this provision is not required for a change to gate fees at a waste facility as these
   are set through Council's fees and charges which can be changed at any time during the year.
   Methodology of assessing annual advance for the domestic waste
   Noosa Council has recently introduced a mandated garden waste collection service to all
   domestic residents in the populated township areas in September 2017. Given that Council
   has been at the forefront of delivering improved domestic waste diversion through this service
   it appears that Council will be penalised by the proposed domestic waste refund assessment,
   process to be calculated on the previous financial year (2017/18).
   Councils who have not been innovative and not yet introduced such a service will attract a
   substantial benefit under the proposal compared to Noosa if they implement such a scheme
   following the introduction of the levy, whereas Noosa has already reduced its disposal volume
   and will not be able to claim for this improvement in diversion for the preceding year.
   Council requests that the where a significant diversion program like a mandated green waste
   service has been introduced by a local government in the year preceding the introduction of
   the levy the Council should be allowed to use 2016/17 disposal volumes as the basis for the
   refund of the domestic waste levy.
   Heading Page 10 - The levy will have no direct impact on households
   With reference to the second dot point on page 10 and the comment, “The formula will be
   reviewed in future years.” This comment provides no certainty to local government regarding
   the level of cost offset provided in future years and the funds available as a direct cost offset
   or available to fund resource recovery. Council requests that either the formula be retained
   without alteration, or a clear methodology be developed regarding how the domestic levy will
   be reduced over time to give certainty to local government.
   With reference to the last dot point on page 10 it makes the comment, “Over time, it would be
   anticipated that the relative proportion of payment would reduce as councils re-invest the funds
   to achieve greater efficiencies and diversion”. This comment is in direct conflict with the
   heading indicating no direct impact on households. With growth in population and the ever
   increasing volume of waste generated, these two items are likely to consume any surplus
   funds from the 105% advance payment of domestic levy paid to councils. Once a local
   government has implemented organic diversion of domestic waste, it is extremely difficult to
   gain any substantial diversion of domestic waste without spending significant funds on the
   more difficult waste streams which can be diverted. Funds will not be available to meet these
   costs to deliver increased diversion as the advance payment for domestic waste reduces.
   The government needs to clarify the reality that there will potentially be a direct impact on
   households in the future to avoid misleading to the public.

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